Amen to this.

Fr. Stephen says "you are not a bible character."

Sunderland's Override

Sunderland votes today on what amounts to a fairly substantial override. The proponents got off to an early start organizing, signs went up, people have been out canvasing. The opponents have managed in the last week to put up an effort, including the trailer pictured above (which allegedly was hauled in from Hatfield). Overrides for operating expenses tend to fail although a number of towns seem to have pushed them through this spring. That Sunderland, a well managed town, can find itself in real trouble is a sad commentary on a one size fits all tax limitation policy, state aid policy and a continued upward pressure for school funding.

Sunderland needs a yes vote. Beyond that we need a serious, evidence based, discussion about costs and taxation.

Its a Brand.

Tom at 538 interviews the head of the Repub Governor's Association:

538: Turning to Mark Sanford, he joins a growing list of socially-conservative Republicans who look hypocritical because of their own marital infidelities. How much damage do episodes like Sanford’s inflict on the Republican brand, and specifically the Republican boasts about being the so-called “family values” party?

NA: What Mark said in all the years I’ve known him, is that the party is exactly that—it’s a brand. It’s no different than John Deere or Caterpillar or Chik-fil-A. Those are the three examples he would give. He would go on to say that when people were buying those brands they knew what they were getting, and they knew it was worth paying the price for the quality they got in return.

What NA didn't mention is those brands are brands because the companies behind them produce products that work as advertised and add value or in Chick-fil-A's case have cows.

Leaders push to override zoos’ cuts

Giving new meaning to ZooMass. Now if the MMA took this approach....

(Note that the Globe photo is from the Philly zoo.)

From the Universal Hub

Patrick: I will not buy that magazine and you will not shoot that dog

By adamg - Sun, 07/12/2009 - 6:53pm.

Patrick to zoo officials: Quit the fearmongering and we'll talk about saving the zoos.

Earlier:
Franklin Park Zoo threatens to shut down, kill some animals.

Looking towards Monday Morning

From Stephan Pastis, he of "Pearls Before Swine" (the comic strip, not the band):

An Inspirational Feel-Good Post to Share With Any of Your Friends or Neighbors Who Could Really Use a Boost Today

I just read a book on Genghis Khan. I learned three things.

1) Genghis Khan’s warriors ate koumiss. Koumiss is fermented mare’s milk. Sometimes they would let it harden in the sun so they could snack on it later. Think of it as a poor man’s Frito.

2) When out of koumiss, these guys drank their own horse’s blood. Straight from the horse’s vein. Sometimes they’d let the blood harden like they did the koumiss, so they’d have two snacks later. Mongol warriors were just loaded with snacks.

3) When these warriors stepped out of line, their punishment was to be wrapped in huge woven rugs. That might sound okay, but consider this. They were then trampled by horses.

In all the other moments of their day, they were trying not to be killed in battle. And it was below freezing. And nobody bathed.

So if you are having a bad day today because the fax didn’t go through, or the Chevy wouldn’t start, look at the bright side:

You are not chomping on fermented mare’s milk.