The canvas.
So I've been working with a designer at Garden State Tile in Wall Farmingdale ...

And we came up with a rather simple layout: no solid surfaces (i.e., marble, natural stone), only a smattering of glass tile accents. Oh, and smoothed pebbles for the shower floor ... but otherwise nothing complicated or extravagant.

Yet, the "tile guy" balked.

For one, he didn't like the pebbles. How's he gonna ensure complete drainage with uneven pieces?! As if we've never had a leaky shower in this house, cripes!

The glass accent pieces randomly placed in the floor, shower wall and jacuzzi riser mean he's got to cut tile. Well, shoot, he's gotta cut tile anyway because invariably the final piece in a row will not fit exactly.

He seems to just want a job where he doesn't have to think too hard while he's working. That's nice but ... that's the job across the hall where we are replacing the floor and baseboard tile. Did I mention leaky showers?

What a Fourth of July story! -

"Western New York Pilot Rescued In Iraq", WGRZ, 7/5/07:

Warrant Officer Second Steven Cianfrini and copilot Mark Burrows were shot down by insurgents about 30 miles south of Baghdad, in the area that has come to be known as the "Triangle of Death."

They survived a crash landing in which the helicopter flipped over. Still under fire, Cianfrini and Burrows ran for a nearby canal, and submerged themselves up to their mouths.

Cianfrini had only been in Iraq for two months when this happened. He still has 13 months to go in his tour of duty, according to his father, who said the United States should re-evaluate the mission in Iraq, though he supports the troops.

Steven detailed all of the dramatic events through text messages to his father, Oakfield Mayor and attorney Ray Cianfrini [who] shared the entire text of their initial conversation, which you can read below.

Dad says;
How bad was it?

Steve says;
I have to tell you... we should be dead... we were engaged four times... 3 out of 4 times was heavy machine gun on my side of aircraft I was the only one to see it cuz other pilot was flying.

Dad says;
The good Lord is looking after you. Say an extra prayer tonight. ... You were blessed on this one, Steve.

Steve says;
I know... some higher being was looking over us.

Dad says;
Say an extra prayer tonight. We love you. STAY SAFE! Wait to hear from you again.

HT: David George and Alumni Web Site

"Michigan bar mints its own currency", Day to Day on NPR, 7/5/07:

The owners of the Meanwhile Bar in Grand Rapids, Mich., have created a currency to help raise money for the bar's opening later this summer. For $10, you get $12 in Meanwhile Money. The system is entirely legal, and it isn't new: Historians say local currencies date back to the 1800s.

It's novel, it's cute but ya know, it adds a layer of abstraction intended, I think, to obfuscate patrons.

"U.S. nun who started Holocaust seminars gets award from Yad Vashem", Catholic News Service, 7/3/07:

A Catholic nun from Pennsylvania is the first non-Jew and non-Israeli to receive Yad Vashem's Award for Excellence in Holocaust Education.

A native of Greensburg, Pa., Sister Gemma has been living in Israel since 1975, and she approached Yad Vashem with her idea in 1987 in response to Pope John Paul II's call to recognize the significance of the Holocaust.

"(Sister) Gemma is one of the gentlest souls I have ever met," Ephraim Kaye said. "She has tremendous humility, modesty and intelligence."

Good work, if you can get it. But, the pictures tell the story. Ironically, commentary has no place.

tags technorati : Yad Vashem Gemma del Duca

I suppose I've always wanted one of these Simpsons avatars.

This is me, according to Kenny, especially when my right "seein' eye" is acting up.

It's striking how similar her conclusions are but then, the authors' perspectives are rather similar.

I have Williams's book and I bought it knowing what it would be. I bought it anyway.

Book Reviews:

Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality, reviewed by Sr. Mona Castelazo:

[Mother Angelica] views life from a dualistic, rather than an incarnational perspective, describing the self as miserable, small, soiled and sinful. God's image only applies to the soul ...

Rather than seeing Christians in communion, Mother Angelica generally presents others as occasions for practicing virtue. She preaches a theology of ascent and achievement, emphasizing the accumulation of virtue to attain a measurable degree of glory in heaven.

The book does provide engaging, nostalgic material, similar to parts of "Late Nite Catechism."

Authors provide prayers and lessons, from didactic to personal, Catholic News Service, 6/18/07.

Spiritual Progress: Becoming the Christian You Want To Be, reviewed by Sr. Mona Castelazo:

His book reflects ... the religious instruction predating the Second Vatican Council, which emphasized intellectual belief and external performance.

It covers most aspects of traditional Catholic teaching, including holiness, God's will, prayer, the imitation of Christ, sacraments, Mary, faith, humility, sin, the world, the flesh, the devil and apostolic action.

The tone is paternalistic and the rhetoric uninspiring.

Father Williams advocates a theology of ascent, of climbing the spiritual ladder through performance to become "the Christian you want to be."

The book presents God as primarily transcendent rather than in-dwelling or incarnational.

Life is seen as a dramatic, dualistic struggle between good and evil. However, for educational purposes, the book might well be studied as an excellent compendium of pre-Vatican II viewpoints and practices.

"Two books offer contrasting spiritual guidelines", The-Tidings.com, 2/9/2007.

"Security guard indicted for arson at Millstone Middle School", Asbury Park Press, 6/29/07

Timothy Myers was hired to protect the Millstone Township's middle school construction site from being vandalized.

Instead, the 22-year-old security guard set three fires there, according to authorities.

Previous post: School guard charged for setting fires, 12/15/06