All of us know about the Nobel Peace Prize, but not all of us know why the prize exists. It’s a story I’ve always found fascinating. Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1833. His father, Immanuel Nobel, was an engineer who had invented modern plywood. He moved the family to St. Petersburg to make a new start with a company making torpedo’s after a bankruptcy in Sweden. Later, when the factory was left to Alfred’s brother, Alfred returned…
In May of 2004, the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist created a panel to review how judicial misconduct complaints were being handled and added this comment: to "see if there are any real problems to have a committee look into." The committee was to report directly to the Chief Justice. The committee operates within the Judicial Conference of the United States which is the federal judiciary’s policy making body. It has been reviewing proposals to change the present secretive…
Alexander Walker has written a biography about Rex Harrison, Fatal Charm. Several passages are worth noting. One was a reference to Harrison’s ability to use a pause for dramatic effect. A fellow actor noted "a very difficult thing to pause effectively." In fact, when engaged in public talking, coversations or trial a pause is very hard because silence is intimidating. Timing is so crucial an ability to acquire as it requires self discipline and an awareness of the moment. Trial…
Poetry has the power to move us in a special way. There is so much wonderful poetry to choose from. Here are a few excerpts I like: Lewis Carroll’s The Walrus and The Carpenter has a wonderful stanza I repeat in my mind when it’s time to make a decision to take action: "The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things: Of shoes – and ships – and sealing wax- Of cabbages – and kings –…
Alfred Tennyson poem Ulysses has lines which so accurately recount the viewpoint of a life observed from the perspective of old age. The poem talks about the fact that we are indebted to so many people for contributions made both directly and indirectly. It also describes one’s view looking back over life in it’s last stanza. I especially like the image of striving on in spite of the ravages of time: "Made weak by time and fate, but strong in…
Has our State’s highest court condoned political lies or did it merely up hold constitutional free speech? The Washington State Supreme court in a 5 to 4 decision has recently made the national news by it’s ruling that political lies told about an opponent in a political campaign are protected speech. Even though the lies were deliberate, malicious and false, the court held the lies were speech protected by the First Amendment. It overturned a law which gave the Public…
Elizabeth (Betty) Barnett was my wife, Lita’s, mother. She was born in 1910 and died December 20, 1985. She was a very remarkable woman in so many respects and a person for whom I had a great deal of love and admiration. She and her husband Hollis operated the Gateway Inn at the entrance to Mount Rainier for many years. This is a poem she wrote: "The snow floats gently on my roof tonight from mountain clouds of high; while…
In William Barclay’s book Day by Day, he talks about a time when he was considering retiring as pastor for a church. He writes that he was torn in mind as to whether to stay at his parish or leave to teach. He talked about his indecision to a member of his congregation he admired about it and the man said: "It’s a wise man that kens when tae lay doon the barra" which roughly translated means "It’s a wise…
Fr. Peter Phan is a prominent Vietnamese-American theologian. He is currently a professor at Georgetown University. In 2001 he was the president of the Catholic Theological Society of American. He has written over 300 essays and twenty books. He is the most respected Asian American theologian in the U.S. but his 2004 book, Being Religious Interreligiously, has caused a Vatican investigation of his writings. As explained in the September 28th issue of the National Catholic Reporter, Phan believes that while…
The Seattle Times (9/30) reports that U.S. Coach Greg Ryan dropped goal keeper Hope Solo, former Washington Husky standout from Richland, from the team for today’s Women World Cup third place match against Norway. On the previous Thursday, the coach had decided to have Briana Scurry play instead of Solor during the semi final match against Brazil. After Brazil defeated the U.S. team 4-0 & Scurry failed to block key goals Solor was quoted as saying about the coach playing…
