Stix Blog

A little fact checking on Obammasiah's Speech at the big phallic symbol

Don Surber has a good column about the historical facts in Obammasiahs speech in Germany at the phallic symbol that Hitler placed during WWII for his quest to take over all of Eurabia fro the German Reich. His speech was filled with many historical inaccuracies and gaffes, and the Looney Left calls President Bush ignorant. It is amazing how people have been bamboozled by this Chicago politician.

Let’s fact check Obama

Beginning with getting wrong the bio of his father, Barack Obama
Sr.

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama Jr. gave a speech in Berlin tonight
and let me count the factual errors.

The first factual error to leap out was this:

At the height of the Cold War, my father decided, like so many
others in the forgotten corners of the world, that his yearning - his dream -
required the freedom and opportunity promised by the West. And so he wrote
letter after letter to universities all across America until somebody, somewhere
answered his prayer for a better life.

Um no.

Not hardly.

His father’s education had nothing to do with the Cold War, but
everything to do with post-colonial African politics.

Wikipedia said:

Due to a program offering Western educational opportunities to outstanding
Kenyan students that was organized by nationalist leader Tom Mboya, Obama Sr.
was awarded a scholarship in economics, and at the age of 23 he enrolled at the
University of Hawaii. He left behind a pregnant Kezia and their infant
son.

I know what it is like to grow up without a father. I was 2 when
my parents divorced and 47 before I met my father, Don Surber Sr.

So it is understandable that Democratic Sen. Barack Obama Jr.
might not know much about his father.

But certainly the senator has heard of Wikipedia.---Don Surber

Read the while thing and also look at some more historical inaccuracies in the comments

Ballpark Village deal announced

Well, the big hole in the ground next to Busch Stadium is going to go away. The Cardinals have finally struck a deal to get the project done. It will not be all done by the time the All-Star game comes next year, but some parts will be done and the rest will be used for activities for the Al-Star Game.

Cardinals unveil revised plan for Ballpark Village

Offices, stores, housing spaces included

BY JIM SALTER

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS --

With the 2009 All-Star Game
in St. Louis less than a year away, the Cardinals on Wednesday announced a
revised plan for Ballpark Village, a complex of office space, retailers and
restaurants that will eventually replace the muddy eyesore of vacant ground left
when the old Busch Stadium was torn down.

The total project is expected to cost up to $600 million. Phase 1 will include a mix of office, entertainment and retail space on the eight-acre site. Phase 2 would add more, plus up to 250 residential units.

The project was announced years ago but has hit several snags, most notably earlier this year when Centene Corp. dropped plans to relocate to Ballpark Village from suburban St. Louis, a move that would have brought 1,200 jobs to the city. The sluggish housing economy has also stalled the residential aspect of the project.

Still, Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III said he is thrilled with the current plan.

"To be able to pull this off in this economic environment is quite a feat," DeWitt said in a telephone interview.

Critics have dubbed the area "Lake DeWitt" as the project has lingered. Clearly visible over the stands in left-centerfield, the huge hole in the ground left by the old ballpark fills with deep, brown water. Some civic leaders have expressed concern about the image that would project during baseball's midseason showcase event.---Belleville News Democrat

United Cub Haters of America

I remember my borther had a bumper sticker that said United Cub Hater of America and he also had a fake cat for the Mizzou Tigers haging out the back of the trunk of his car.   He said someone asked i=him if he hated animals. 

But GOP an d College has found a great MySpace page with some good Cubbies stuff on it.  Here are just a few:

Then, check these out;

Did you know that CUBS is an acronym? Check it out!

* Completely Useless By September
* Could U Beat Somebody
* Could you be suckier?
* Can Usually Blow Saves (or Series)
* Completely Useless By Spring
* Champions Until Baseball Starts
* Can Usually Be Swept
* Cork Used By Sammy
* Can't Undo Being Sucky
* Can't Understand Baseball Scoring
* Can't Understand Baseball Strategy
* Constantly Uttering Bull SH@* (When talking about Cub fans)
* Choke Under Baseball Stress
* Children Use Better Stategies
* Crap up baseball's sanctity
* Completely underachieving batters, starters
* Cry unnecessarily 'bout Stoney
* Constant untimely base-running snafus
* Cubs Utter Baker Sucks
* Continually Upstaged By Sox
* Chicago's Underachieving Baseball Squad
* Constantly Using Bad Strategy
* Coming Up Behind Sucks
* Completely, Utterly Blown System
* Chicago's Ultimate Bitch Squad
* Completely Underachieving Baseball Scrubs

Stan The Man

Stan The Man Musial was commemoperated today at Bush Staduim here in St. Louis for his career and his never ending love of S. Louis and his beloved Cardinals.   He was before my time of watching the Cardinals, but we were always reminded of his greatness every year at the Home Opener, or throughout nthe year.   He began his career as a Cardianla and to this day we still consider him part of the Cardinals and he is a great ambassador for the Cardinals and St. Louis.   He is one of a kind and there will never another of his kind. 

Anf of course, Stan The Man was my grandma's favorite player along with Willie McGee, and every time I see Stan The Mam, I am reminded of my grandparents.

Here is to Stan The Man, the greatest hitter in MLB history.

Stan Musial Day celebration on Sunday

Cardinals to dedicate "Musial Plaza" as part of tribute

ST. LOUIS, Mo., May 17, 2008 - The St. Louis Cardinals will celebrate the career of Hall of Famer Stan "The Man" Musial on Sunday, May 18 with a special dedication of the plaza area located outside of Busch Stadium Gate 3 where the famous Stan Musial statue is located. In addition, St. Louis City Hall officials will proclaim the day as "Stan Musial Day" and designate the portion of 8th Street in front of the newly named "Musial Plaza" as "Stan Musial Drive."

The stadium entrance area (Musial Bridge entrance), on the west side of the stadium, will be renamed "Musial Plaza" during Sunday's pre-game festivities, set to begin at 1 p.m. CDT. The pre-game ceremony will be broadcast in high definition on KSDK-TV (ch.5) prior to the Cardinals 1:15 p.m. game against the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays.

The "Musial Plaza" features a beautifully designed walkway with brick and granite pavers that pay tribute to Musial. The center section of the plaza features a giant granite baseball with Stan's famous signature inlaid on the "sweet spot" On the top of the baseball are granite pavers signifying many of Stan's career achievements and the bottom of the baseball features Musial's family tree. In addition, there are 3,630 personalized pavers that equate to the total number of hits in Stan's brilliant career (one half are on one side of the plaza, representing his hits at home, and the other half are on the other side, representing his hits on the road).

Musial celebrated the 50th anniversary of his 3,000th career hit this past Tuesday, May 13 (1958 at Wrigley Field off the Cubs' Moe Drabowsky) and this season marks the 60th anniversary of his third MVP season, a year (1948) in which he batted an N.L.-best .376 while also leading the league with 230 hits, 46 doubles, 13 triples and 135 runs batted in.

The special pre-game ceremonies will also include a proclamation from St. Louis City officials, declaring Sunday as "Stan Musial Day" in the city of St. Louis. Members of City Hall will also be on hand to present Stan and his family with replicas of the newly dedicated "Stan Musial Drive" street sign.

In addition, the team is giving away Stan Musial statue replicas to the first 25,000 fans ages 16 and under with a paid admission. The statue giveaway is sponsored by Edward Jones.

Major League Baseball has issued special Stan Musial #6 base jewels that will be visible on each of the bases being used for tomorrow's game.

St. Louis Cardinals

Larry Wright

Larry Wright

Eric Allie

Eric Allie

Arrest Warrant for Scott Spezio

Last year Scott Spezio left the Cardinals line up for a substance abuse problem,and after coming back said he wasfine now.  What is going on with the Cardinals and baseball in general over the last fewyears,or even longer really.   We had 2 pitchers die in the last 5 years,one in his sleep, another in a car accident wjile drunk with pot in the truck.  And all over the league there are instances of this kind of behavior. And also the steroid controversy. The NFLand NBA are even worse with thug mentality.  Do we really want these athletes as role models for our kids???   You do not hear many stories of NHL players, but there are some instances of irrational behavior in the NHL, Bob Probert comes to mind offhand, but there was a couple others in recent years. 

Here is the story from the Bellevlle New Demcrat:

Arrest warrant issued for Cards' Spiezio

IRVINE, Calif. --

An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday afternoon by the Irvine (Calif.) Police Department for St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Scott Spiezio on six charges stemming from a Dec. 30 incident.

The warrant alleges driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more, hit and run, aggravated assault, assault and battery.

Spiezio was not in the lineup for Wednesday's exhibition game against St. Louis University in Jupiter, Fla.

Cardinals spokesman Brian Bartow said the team was not aware of the warrant.

Spiezio was on the restricted list for 36 days last season to receive treatment for an unspecified substance-abuse problem. He was gone from Aug. 9 until Sept. 15.

When he rejoined the team, Spiezio declared himself fit and ready to go, a declaration he maintained again in January at the team's annual Winter Warm-Up.

But manager Tony La Russa was upset with Spiezio when the 35-year-old veteran was late for an autograph-signing session. La Russa said then that any player reporting late for a workout in spring training would not be allowed to participate in drills.

At the Winter Warm-Up, Spiezio said he was having an enjoyable offseason and that his band, Sand Frog, was getting ready to release a new CD about Spiezio's off-the-field troubles of last year.

Spiezio batted .269 with four home runs and 31 RBIs in 82 games last season.

For more on this story, see Thursday's paper or visit www.bnd.com

Chaldeans in Iraq Get a Red Hat

Benedict XVI recently gave red hats to 23 newly appointed  Cardinals at St Peter's in Rome. Here's some information about the very first ever red hat for Iraq's Chaldean Catholics.

Popes rarely speak out loud their reasons for making a particular prelate a cardinal, but Pope Benedict XVI broke that informal taboo today with regard to Patriarch Emmanuel II Delly of the Chaldean church in Iraq.

“How can we not look with apprehension and affection, in this moment of joy, to the dear Christian community in Iraq?” the pope said during his homily at this morning’s consistory ceremony.

“These brothers and sisters of ours in the faith are experiencing in their own flesh the dramatic consequences of a long-lasting conflict, and are living today in an extremely fragile and delicate political situation,” the pope said.

“By calling the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church to enter into the College of Cardinals, I wanted to express in a concrete way my spiritual closeness and my affection for this population. We wish together, dear and venerable brothers, to reaffirm the solidarity of the entire church with the Christians of that beloved country. We invite and invoke the merciful God, for all the peoples involved, that the longed-for reconciliation and peace may come.”

The pope’s references to Iraq brought three rounds of applause from those gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Source:  http://amywelborn.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/consistory-103/#comments

Here's another nice photo of the new Iraqi Cardinal

This is a Yahoo News photo of the Maronite Cardinal in Lebanon, another Catholic Cardinal in the East that you may not know about.  He doesn't wear a red hat although he was given one in Rome.  His full title is Cardinal Patriarch of Antioch and the Entire Levant.  He was made Cardinal by John Paul II in 1994. 

This is the blurb from Yahoo News accompanying the photo:

Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir in the lobby of the patriarchate in Bkerki, north Beirut. The Cardinal has warned that following last week's departure of President Emile Lahoud, Lebanon was entering an interim period which could lead to stability, or to chaos and confrontation. Presidents in Lebanon are chosen from the Maronite community.(AFP/Jinan Nour Al-Dunia)

Here's a Wikipedia article on the Maronite Cardinal that includes a photo of the Cardinal visiting George Bush at the White House.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasrallah_Cardinal_Sfeir

Here's a photo of Benedict with the Syrian Catholic bishops

And, finally, here's Benedict in a tradtitional red hat that he sometimes wears

Julia 

Glenn McCoy

Glenn McCoy

King Henry the Ninth and the Knights of St John

Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart - would-be King Henry IX of England and I of Scotland and Ireland - last Stuart pretender with a realistic chance to be King of Great Britain, died in July 1807 at Rome.

 

In July 2007, there was a Solemn Pontifical memorial Requiem  Mass in the old pre-Vatican II style in London on the bicentenary of the death of the grandson of James II and brother of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the last of the Stuarts, and son of Queen Maria Clementina, the daughter of King Jan III Sobieksi of Poland-Lithuania.

Henry Stuart ended his days as a Cardinal in Rome, dean of the college of cardinals, under the protection of the Pope. His brother, mother and father are all buried at St Peter's and also had been under the Pope's protection.  They are commemorated by a famous Canova monument on the left side of the Basilica

 

The closest Henry got to setting foot on British territory was his evacuation to Sicily in 1798 aboard Nelson’s flagship, HMS Vanguard. In England he is largely forgotten; but his memory is still kept alive in and around the Eternal City. His monument stands at the back of St Peter’s Basilica. His coat of arms can be found in Santa Maria in Trastevere and elsewhere around Rome.

 

While there was still a chance that the Stuarts would regain the throne,  Henry was treated and lived as royalty in the vicinity of Rome even though a clergyman.  After all the family lands were confiscated, George III gave him a pension that allowed him to live in the royal style until his death.

 

Below are several posts about Henry, his history and the Requiem Mass at a blog run by a priest in London.  Very interesting with lots  of photos.  Members of the Royal Stuart Society organized the event.  Also a different blog that has more photos and information about the items displayed - such as things connected to the Order of the Garter, the British flag, and a royal parliamentary mantle with ermine cape which are as they would have been before the Hanovarians came to power .

 

The Requiem took place in the Conventual church of the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta (founded in 1099 and later known as the Knights Hospitaller). This is not - as some wrongly call it - a "hospital chapel". This is the Conventual church of an ancient religious order, older than the Franciscans and Dominicans and most other religious orders in the Church - only the Benedictines and Augustinians are older. The blogger is the chaplain of the Royal Stuart Society

 

 

http://romanmiscellany.blogspot.com/2007/09/requiem-for-cardinal-duke-of-york.html 

 

http://romanmiscellany.blogspot.com/2007/09/panegyric-for-cardinal-duke-of-york.html

 

http://romanmiscellany.blogspot.com/2007/09/yesterdays-pontifical-requiem.html

 

http://romanmiscellany.blogspot.com/2007/09/galero.html

 

 

Here is the portrait of the Cardinal-King hanging in the Scots College in Rome, where Scottish seminarians are trained for the priesthood.

The following is from one of the blogs:

 

Thus was appropriately celebrated the memory of the Head of the Royal House of Stuart and rightful King over the Dowry of Mary, England, the Crown of Mary, Scotland, and the blessed isle of St Patrick, Ireland, the last of the Royal name of Stuart that had ruled in Scotland for so long and which later came to be the ruling dynasty of the British isles, the last Catholic dynasty of these islands.

The Stuart line, happily, continues and, having passed down through various generations, now rests with HRH Prince Francis, Duke of Bavaria.

His brother, Duke Max Emmanuel in Bavaria, will succeed and thereafter the daughter of Duke Max, Princess Sophie of Bavaria, now Her Serene Highness, Princess of Liechtenstein after her marriage to HSH Prince Alois, the heir of the very Catholic princely line of Liechtenstein. Appropriately, Prince Alois was educated at the Royal Miltiary Academy Sandhurst, Britain's military academy, and his eldest child was, again appropriately, born in London.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Talk about holding on to a fantasy.  It's time to give up the claim and move on, don't you think?  But I guess it's fun to play dress-up, even if they are adults.  This is the Sky Boat Song of the Jacobite Loyalists:   "Burned are our homes, exile and death, Scatter the loyal men, Yet, e'er the sword cool in the sheath, Charlie will come again."

Here's some portraits and brief snippets about the Stuarts from the 2nd blog that focusses on monarchy.

HENRY'S BROTHER CHARLIE   

Portrait of Prince Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie") with his most faithful followers among the Jacobite Clan chiefs - Cameron of Lochiel and MacDonald of Clanranald.  Aymez Loyaute - "love loyalty" was the motto of the Royal Stuarts, the legitimate kings of Britain and Ireland but excluded from the throne because, since King James II and VII, they were Roman Catholics and wished to repeal the savage laws that meant a man could be hanged, drawn and quartered for repudiating the Anglican and Presbyterian State churches. King James issued a "Declaration of Indulgence" giving religious freedom to his subjects. However, the Whigs invited a foreign power to invade Britain and Ireland, establishing a Dutch Protestant as king, William of Orange aka "Dutch Billy".

 

Henry ix and i, Cardinal-king as a boy

Prince Henry Benedict Stuart, Duke of York and brother of Bonnie Prince Charlie, later became Cardinal-bishop of Ostia and Velletri and of Frascati, Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church and, de jure, King Henry IX of England, I of Scotland and Ireland and King of France. He was very nearly elected Pope in the Conclave of 1800 so that he would then have been both Pope and King of England. He died 13 July 1807, just after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, so that 2007 is the bicentenary of his death.

 

the old chevalier - Charlie & Henry's father

Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, the son of King James II and VII, was de jure King James III of England and VIII of Scotland, the father of Bonnie Prince Charlie and Prince Henry, Cardinal Duke of York. All 3 are now buried in St Peter's Basilica James was a faithful Catholic and monarch. Offered the throne of Britain and Ireland by the British Whigs if he converted to Protestantism, he replied that nothing would induce him to abandon his religion. He fought for his lawful right to the throne but was prevented by treacherous enemies. The result was that the people of Britain and Ireland were delivered into the hands of the Capitalist Whigs - the British, and especially Irish, people became deeply pauperised and shamefully oppressed. The Protestant writer William Cobbett who lived at the time, wrote of even children being starved to death, hanged for stealing sixpence and transported to the colonies for petty crimes, never to see their families again. Roman Catholics in particular were subjected to one of the most savage and oppressive Penal Codes ever to have disgraced European history.

- - - - - - -

It's not only in the Balkans that grudges have long memories.

Julia   

GOP & COllege has the skinny on the Ankiel story

PMSNBC and some other sources are trying to get at Ankile after his incredible return to the Big Leagues.  He never did anything wrong, he used  HGH in 2004 when it was not illegal to use in the MLB anyway.  And he was in the inors leagues up until this year after he fell apart as a pitcher. 

GOP & College:
MSNBC reports that Rick Ankiel was another member of the MLB to receive Human Growth Hormones to improve his baseball abilities...

in 2004.

Look at Rick Ankiel's statistics.

In the entire year of 2004, Rick pitched all of 10 innings in 5 games the entire season. Then from 2004-2007 HE DID NOT PLAY FOR THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS AT ALL! He was kept in the minors for nearly three years.

It's not until late in the story that you see this little blurb.

"Authorities have not accused Ankiel of any wrongdoing, the newspaper said. According to the Signature records the News cited, he stopped receiving HGH just before baseball banned it in 2005."

So in 2004, he was doing something that was perfectly legal in baseball, then ceased once it had been banned, and there's something wrong with that?

MSNBC writer Mike Celizic gets the point across very well though.

I guess baseball and sportswriters didn’t get the memo, so let’s repeat it for them: the fans don’t care what Rick Ankiel did three years ago.

It is almost time for Spring Training

Spring Training is right around the corner and I wanted to give all of those Cubs fans a good gift for this upcoming season.

A German Cubs Fan

Pretty funny movie of a German Cubs Fan.

Warning some strong language.

 

Cardinals visit the White House

The World Cahmpion St. Louis Cardinals visited President Bush yesteraday at the White House.  The Pressident said he had a lot in common with MVP David Eckstien, they were misundersetimated.

World Series MVP David Ekstein, second from left, presents President Bush with a St. Louis Cardinals team jersey and team autographed baseball during a photo opportunity honoring the 2006 World Series champions.
(Charles Dharapa/AP)

Cards paint the White House red

By Philip Dine

POST-DISPATCH WASHINGTON BUREAU

01/17/2007

WASHINGTON— The White House visit by the World Series champion Cardinals on Tuesday drew as many members of the Missouri congressional delegation as could squeeze in — as well as lawmakers and cabinet members from various other states. Each insisted he had some tie to St. Louis.

"It's amazing what a victory will do," joked President George W. Bush. "Everybody likes a winner."

The session began with a prolonged standing ovation as about two dozen Cardinals players, coaches and owners walked single file into the East Room, where many White House social events are held and where Bush holds his prime-time news conferences. Bush followed them in, prompting another standing ovation.

The president praised the team's "character and leadership" and singled out manager Tony La Russa's charitable work in St. Louis.

Bush spoke of the team's "fantastic" fans. "You build a fan base by being a good citizen and winning games," he said. "The Cardinals know how to do both."

Bush, a former owner of the Texas Rangers who is in his element at such gatherings, provoked laughter with a number of his remarks.

"I fancied myself a baseball guy at one point," he said. "The Cardinals have now won 10 World Series — that's 10 more than the Texas Rangers have won."

He turned to World Series MVP David Eckstein and noted that commentators had "said he can't hit, said he can't throw."

"Listen, David, I've made a career out of people underestimating me," Bush said.

Bush's recollection of listening to the Cardinals on the radio in the 1950s when he was growing up in Texas was interrupted by Rep. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., who yelled, "Did that make you a Cards fan?"

"It made me a baseball fan," Bush retorted. "And a Stan Musial fan." That latter mention drew applause.

The Cardinals presented Bush with a team jersey reading "06 Bush." When La Russa said the date was to remind the president when the team won, Bush asked if the name was so he would "remember who I am."

There's a belief in baseball that a team that loses more than two or three in a row during the course of a season won't win the World Series, Bush said.

"You were able to endure losing streaks of eight, and eight again, and seven, because of the team's character and leadership," he said. Bush added that he had dinner with La Russa in August, during a tough stretch for the team, and afterward remarked to an aide that the Cardinals were going to win the championship because their manager believed they would.

La Russa conceded later that he wanted to end that August meeting on an optimistic note. "I was just trying to say something positive as a last impression," he said. "I didn't really believe it."

At Tuesday's event, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., wore Cardinals red and was accompanied by her son, Austin, 19, who said the invitation finally made her mother's recent election worth the trouble. Former Attorney General John Ashcroft sat in the front row. "This is one of those 'pinch-yourself-and-see-if-it's-real moments,' " said Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo.

After La Russa, owner Bill DeWitt, pitcher Chris Carpenter and Eckstein answered questions outside the White House. Eckstein called the event "a remarkable moment."

"He is an amazing man," Eckstein said. "Just to have the president mention your name is a great honor."

Carpenter called it "a dream come true…to be able to be here. There's such a presence when he comes walking in. You're out of your element. You're comfortable when you're working on the (baseball) field."

La Russa said Albert Pujols wasn't at the event because he was doing charitable work for children in the Dominican Republic and that Jim Edmonds was recovering from surgery.

Asked whether the subject of steroids and last week's Hall of Fame vote rejecting former Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire came up in a meeting earlier Tuesday with Bush, La Russa said it hadn't.

"I hope (McGwire) is here one day celebrating his election to the Hall of Fame with the president," La Russa said.

STLToday.com

Stix

World Series Champs

I am sorry I didn't really post anything about the World Series Champions teh St. Louis Cardinals.   As I said before Inever thought they had a chance to win it, but I guess that is why they actually play the games.  Anything can happen.  The Bullpen came through wonderfully and with Eckstein and Rollen and other timely hitting they came out on top.

Stix

"And that's a winner"

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, right, runs to celebrate with pitcher Adam Wainwright after the Cardinals beat the New York Mets, 3-1, to win the National League Championship, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2006, at Shea Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

The Cardinals have won the National League Title for the 17th time.  The Cards have been the underdogs all playoffs long and are the underdogs going into the World Series.  But with their will to win, I think that they actually have a chance aginst the Detroit Tigers.  I never thought that they would get this far.  But I will be away for most of the series in St. Maarten.  Hopefully they will have the games on there, or I will just have to follow the Series on the internet.

Got tothe  St Louis Post-Dispatch fot all things Cardinals.

Stix

Benedict, Murphy O'Conor & Carey - Gutsy Guys in Dresses and Funny Hats

There has been a drumbeat of disapprobation of Pope Pius XII for not speaking out forcefully enough against Hitler and his treatment of Jews during WWII.  In fact, a book called Hitler's Pope says he cottoned to the Nazi's when he was an apostolic delegate to Germany in the 1930's.   Much of the defense of Pius' conduct revolves around the observation that outspokeness by Catholic hierarchy usually  triggered increased attacks against Jews, especially those  who had converted to Catholicism, including Sr. Benedicta Stein, who was hauled from her convent and killed at a concentration camp. 

Since his blunt speech in Regensberg last week, we are hearing that Pope Benedict XVI is at best misguided in taking a strong stand against the violence of Islam because his words are triggering violence against Christians.  How ironic and hypocritical is this?????

Today the International Herald Tribune notes that both the head of the Roman Catholic Church in  Great Britain and the retired Anglican Archbishop of Canturbery are seconding Benedict's previously stated concerns about Turkey joining the EU.   The folks in Brussells and at the New York Times are lily-livered.  Everybody knows where all three of these guys can be found at any time.  Benedict is still out in the open at the audiences in St Peter's Square - he has not changed to the bullet-proof Popemobile.    You talk about being fearless and having b___s!  Hooray for those brave, irrelevant, Christian leaders in funny dresses!!   May God keep them safe.

Catholic archbishop of England and Wales questions whether Turkey should join European Union

The Associated Press Published: September 21, 2006

LONDON The Catholic archbishop of England and Wales on Thursday questioned whether Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country, should join the European Union. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the archbishop of Westminster, took issue with Prime Minister Tony Blair's strong advocacy of Turkish membership. "There may be another view that the mixture of cultures is not a good idea," Murphy O'Connor said in an interview with British Broadcasting Corp. radio. Murphy O'Connor questioned whether "a continent that, fundamentally, is Christian" would benefit from admitting a large predominantly Muslim country to the union. "I speak also in a sense for the people of this country," 70 percent of whom say they are Christian, he said. George Carey, the former archbishop of Canterbury, also expressed reservations about Turkey's joining the EU. "I think the jury is still out on Turkey at the moment. I look at its record on freedom of speech and so on, what it is doing to writers in Turkey who want to speak out, and some of them are in jail," the Anglican leader said. "And so I think we are on a journey together. So I don't write them out of the action but I think there are questions to be pushed." -------     Julia    H/T  Amy Welborn's Open Book

Here's Murphy O'Connor paying his respects to another really gutsy guy in a funny dress and hat who knew a thing or two about dangerous Turks:

 

Clinton was Arroganter than Bush part 3,982

The Anchoress , with her usual clear eye, compares Methodist GWB's recent respectful behavior at a Catholic wedding to the egregiously disrespectful behavior of the Bubba-in-Chief at a Catholic Mass in South Africa in 1998. 

August 30, 2006

“How a Non-Catholic respectfully communes at Mass”

Filed under: Bride at every wedding, corpse at every funeral, Catholicism

Thus says from my Li’l Bro Thom, no Bush-lover, he, who very much appreciated seeing this:

Non-Catholics, and Catholics who have not yet gone through the process of formally receiving the sacrament of reconciliation and their first communion, but who wish to “participate” in that part of the Mass are invited to process to the minister dispensing the Holy Eucharist with their hands crossed upon their chest (not a humiliation, but a practical measure, so that there may be no confusion on the priest’s part that they are NOT receiving the Eucharist), whereupon the priest will simply touch his hand to their head and ask God’s blessing upon them. Here we see President and Mrs. Bush doing it the way we ask it to be done, and believe me we surely appreciate and honor their respectfulness.

That “arrogant” president, Bush, did Catholics the world over honor when he respected our ways.

And here we see how a Non-catholic disrespectfully communes at Mass:

Bill Clinton, obviously. A Southern Baptist with a penchant for carrying around big bibles took communion during a Roman Catholic Mass in Africa in 1998. When New York’s Cardinal John O’ Connor, doing his job, called Clinton on it, he was told that his (Cardinal John O’ Connor’s) understanding was deficient. “They do things differently in Africa,” was the answer from the Clinton administration. When pressed on the fact that even the African Bishops Conference complained about it, things devolved into “well, we understood it this way…”

The transcript: Clinton Press Sec’y Mike McCurry and the press (all boldface emphasis added - admin)

Q: …as you know, Cardinal O’Connor had some very strong things to say yesterday about the President’s taking of communion. In that light, I wanted to ask you three things. One, the Cardinal suggested that no one should take communion who’s not in a state of grace. Did the President feel he was in a state of grace, one? Two, does he regret taking communion? And three, the White House suggested it had contact with officials at the church who thought it appropriate but the pastor has said he was not one of them. Can you give us some names of who said it was okay?

MCCURRY: …our team on the ground indicated that the conference of bishops in South Africa had a more ecumenical view of the holy eucharist and had advised members of the traveling party it was appropriate for baptized Christians to share in communion. And the President acted on that guidance…And that includes the priest, and I thought also the bishop who officiated as well, is my understanding, but we can double check that.
[…]
Q: It’s a question about what the Cardinal is saying.

MCCURRY: Cardinal O’Connor may not be familiar with the doctrinal attitude towards the holy eucharist that the conference of bishops in South Africa brings to that question.

Q: The South African bishops have apparently now criticized the minister for having offered communion to the President or permitted him to take it. Does the White House have any reaction?

MCCURRY: I’m not aware of that. That’s contrary to the guidance that the President and his traveling delegation were given at the time of the service.

Q: Well, apparently they say he was supposed to have asked the local bishop for permission before permitting the President to take communion.

MCCURRY: Our understanding was that the invitation was extended on behalf of the Conference of South African Bishops.

Q: Mike, can you be specific about who extended it?

MCCURRY: I can find out if our advance people have got any idea who they spoke with.

Q: As I understand it, only Catholics are supposed to receive Catholic communion. Did that come up in the President’s mind?

MCCURRY: That is the attitude and posture of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, but our understanding is that the Conference of Bishops in South Africa have a different view of holy communion.

All so very vague, all so very arrogant…”someone told us…this was indicated…I’ll have to see if we know any names…” and “I’m not aware of that,” which seems to mean “that can’t be true…” It was all so very typical of that president and his administration which never admitted a mistake, not even one time. And boy, the press sure hates the Bush administration for not “admitting to mistakes…”. But different presidents, different letters after the name…they get treated differently, after all.

But you know, I don’t think I ever heard the besotted press call Clinton arrogant. “Not even one time.”

Most of you are aware that Clinton graduated from Georgetown, a Jesuit school, the first Catholic University in the US.   Because of that, he certainly knows that Catholics around the world believe the same thing about the Eucharist. To say that "Cardinal O’Connor may not be familiar with the doctrinal attitude towards the holy eucharist that the conference of bishops in South Africa brings to that question" is ignorant to the extreme - all conferences of Catholic bishops around the world hold the same doctrinal attitutudes or they are no longer "Catholic".     If "the Conference of Bishops in South Africa have a different view of holy communion" they would no longer be bishops in union with US or Rome  or the rest of the Roman Catholic world, and they most assuredly are still in union with Rome.   

"They do things differently in Africa"??? Perhaps Bubba thought that black Catholics in Africa are more like the black Baptists he knows back in the US and don't share the same views as the honkey Catholics. How disrepectful to the many black Catholics around the world, including Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta, to name just two.   But the story's not over yet.

For doing his job, Cardinal O’ Connor was also, apparently, targeted by the Clinton White House for surveillance.

This huge Clinton surveillance scheme was VAAPCON, the Violence Against Abortion Providers Task Force. According to the U.S. Justice Department, VAAPCON “was charged with determining whether there was a nationwide conspiracy to commit acts of violence against reproductive health care providers.” The more than 900 targets of all this surveillance included the Christian Coalition…the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and even then-Roman Catholic Cardinal of New York John O’Connor.
[…]
So if you were close to the late Cardinal O’Connor, or called him to discuss personal or family problems – even personal sins – to him, you may have been wiretapped and recorded by the Clinton’s VAAPCON surveillance. In that sense, the Clinton administration may have literally bugged the confessional.

WOW  How did the MSM miss this instance of pay-back against the Cardinal via abuse of a surveillance scheme by Bubba  ---- when Bush is constantly being criticized for monitoring foreign terrorists trying to contact connections within our borders?   I guess it's dumb to even wonder about the justice of the disparate treatment of Bush. 

Julia 

The Countdown

Countdown to new ballpark opening: 2 hrs 49 mins 16 secs

(*subject to change)

Stix

Posting might be light today.

It is opening day at New Busch Stadium.  So blogging might be light.

The stars are aligned. The omens have been positive. All the preliminaries are complete. It's time to break in the new digs.

New Busch Stadium makes its Major League debut on Monday at 3:10 p.m. CT. Mark Mulder's first pitch to the Brewers will validate more than two years of construction -- as well as some destruction -- and a plan that dates back far longer than that.

A tight construction schedule meant that the Cardinals didn't even formally have the park handed over to them until the last week before Opening Day. They benefited from a mild winter in St. Louis, a decidedly smooth demolition of old Busch Stadium and other fortuitous happenings.

"I don't think we ever had a point where we didn't believe that the ballpark was going to be ready on Opening Day," said team president Mark Lamping. "The productivity of the workforce was at an incredibly high level, and we were blessed with great weather. We've been running ahead of schedule for quite some time."

read the rest here

Stix

Retire Willie McGee's #51...Grassroots Campaign

This is for all the St. Louis Cardinal fans out there.  There is a grassroots petition to get Willie McGee's #51 retired.  He was one of the most loved Cardinals during the 80's.  His number should be retired.  Whenever he is in Bush Stadium, he has always gotten the greatest reception from the fans.  If you agree with me Please sign the petition.

Here's the link to sign the petition:
http://www.insidestl.com/retire51/petition.php

Here's the article by Tim McKernan (590 KFNS):

Today, insideSTL.com launches the Retire 51 Campaign...a grassroots
movement created by Cardinals fans---for the fans---to give us one more
opportunity to stand and applaud the guy who meant so much to us for so
many years: Willie McGee.

Two weeks ago on The Morning Grind, we asked the question: Which number
should be retired next in St. Louis sports?

The answer---overwhelmingly---was number 51.

More than 90% of those voting by either calling or emailing into the
show said Willie McGee's number should not only be retired...but that 51
should be retired now.

This topic may be one of the few things that nearly every St. Louisan
can agree upon.

Black or white.

Young or old.

Male or female.

We all have a Willie McGee memory, and we all would like to play a role
in thanking him by giving him an honor reserved for a handful of
Cardinal players and one Cardinal owner.

Ozzie.

Red.

Stan.

Enos.

Boyer.

Dizzy.

Brock.

Gibson.

August Busch.

This is exactly what it says on stlcardinals.com about the organization
retiring numbers:

"In the 110-year history of the St. Louis Cardinals, nine individuals
have enjoyed such distinguished careers on the field, in the dugout or
from the owners box that their uniform numbers have been retired by the
organization. Only the New York Yankees (14) and Brooklyn/Los Angeles
Dodgers (10) have retired more numbers, while the New York/San Francisco
Giants also have retired nine. The nine honored Redbirds are recognized
on pennants located in the upper deck of right-center field at Busch
Stadium."

Now I don't want the Cardinals to turn into an NFL team that retires a
ridiculous amount of numbers, but from 1982 to 1999---with the
exception of his years away from town and with the exception of Ozzie
Smith---no one was more synonymous with Cardinal baseball than the man that wore
number 51.

And, quite bluntly, the fact that his number ISN'T retired is rather
surprising.

Sure, Ozzie, Red, Stan, Enos, Dizzy, Lou, and Gibson are all Hall of
Famers...but Ken Boyer isn't...so in other words, you don't have to be a
Hall of Famer to have your number retired by the Cardinals.

The organization had the chance to do it in April of 2000 when the
Cardinals held Willie McGee Day...but the number wasn't retired then.

And, just a year later, pitcher Bud Smith made his major league debut.
Initially, the Cardinals gave him the number 51 to wear. That prompted
this from St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz in 2001:

"The Cardinals' decision to issue uniform No. 51 to rookie pitcher Bud
Smith is disrespectful. Have the Cardinals already forgotten about the
real No. 51, Willie McGee, and what he meant to the franchise and the
fans? McGee's number hasn't been retired by the team, but the Cardinals
could be more discerning in handing it out. Please respect tradition."

Later in the season, after numerous complaints from fans, the Cardinals
switched Smith's number from 51 to 52.

But, quite honestly, the fact that a) the number wasn't retired and b)
the number was given to someone else just 2 years after McGee retired
is an illustration that somebody down at Busch Stadium just doesn't get
it.

Willie McGee is synonymous with Cardinal baseball. And, 51 is
synonymous with McGee. Period.

But, since those in power don't seem to get it, we'll take the issue
into our own hands.

And, we'll do what we can to get it done.

Can you imagine what it would be like at the New Ballpark for 45,000
plus to be on hand ushering in this new era of Cardinal baseball by
standing, applauding, and roaring one last time for the man who meant so
much to them for so long?

Can you imagine what it would be like to see the curtain come down and
reveal Number 51 next to the other numbers of Cardinal legends?

Can you imagine what it would be like to say "thank you" to him one
last time with an honor reserved for the greatest of the greats?

You can play a role in making it happen.

Simply go to the Retire 51 page on insideSTL.com and add your name to
the online petition.

Our goal is to get hundreds---if not thousands---of signatures on
petitions over the course of the next few months and present it to the
Cardinals.

And, then, we'd like to see that moment that should've taken place 6
years ago finally happen...

...the moment when Number 51 joins the man that wore it in Cardinal
immortality.

Join The Movement.

Retire 51.

Stix

Here is a Tennessee Cardinals Fan

Over at GOP and College has a post about the new Busch Staduim.

The grass is green on the field of New Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO. As sad as I was to see "The Oven" (Old Busch) go, I'm getting anxious to see the first (televised) home game of the Cardinal's 2006 Season so that I can see the stadium in its entirity. Also, at some point I plan on going up to St. Louis to watch a game in person.

My grandparents lived just outside of St. Louis from since before I was born until not too recently when they moved. One of our favorite things to do was go watch a Cardinals Game during the summer, and they've been my favorite team for as long as I can remember. Heh, in fact, wondering around the house somewhere is a "Property of the St. Louis Cardinal's Fan Club" shirt that was my brother's...and is older than I am.

I still think it'd be nice to own a piece of Old Busch, and again, if only I could afford this.

If only I could afford any of the things they are selling too.  Oh well, it is fun workling in downtown St. Louis watching it being built.  IT is going to be crazy here for the home opener.

Stix