Monthly Archives: August 2005

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Addressing Bredesen Directly

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So if you didn’t notice the news yesterday or this morning there was some direct interaction between those raising concern about the TennCare cuts and Bredesen himself.

Somehow Bredesen was the keynote speaker at a convention about Health Care, as if he has the answer for everyone.

I joined others passing out flyers that gave some information about the other side of the story, things the folks at the convention didn’t hear from Bredesen’s lunch address.

If you haven’t seen the mainstream media’s look check it out:

The Tennessean has some photos.
Click on the video right below Bredesen’s photo

All this to say:

Please come to our Town Hall Meeting Tonight!

6:00 PM-7:30
Madison Public Library
610 Gallatin Pike

Hear the stories of TennCare recipients who have been cut from TennCare.

Blog

get a free iTunes song.

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We were walking through the mall Saturday when we were waiting for our car to get fixed and I saw a sign at the GAP.

Now I’m not a fan of the GAP, to many rumors of sweatshops, but I’ll stick it to the man when I can.

They are offering a free iTunes song just for trying on a pair of jeans. I literally grabbed a pair walked into a dressing room, tried to put my leg in (they were way to small) and then I walked out and they gave me a card for a free iTune.

I don’t like spreading my secrets, but since many of the folks who read this live in different cities I’ll let you in on it.

My friend used to look through the recycling bins for Pepsi caps when they where giving away iTunes. I think trying on a pair of jeans is a better option.

enjoy.

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So I’m just supposed to write on here?

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I have a xanga. I started my blogging on a xanga because a lot of my friends where using it and I figured that was the place to be. The way I would post on there (and still do) is I tend to post just a few thoughts each couple days and I wait till enough people comment on the post before I post again.

Well, enough of that, this blog is for me. It can be for you too, and I apologize to those who subscribed to the email updates if you don’t want three or four a day. Seeing as I don’t have a job, I’m still randomly at home and have time to post more often.

So, let the true blogging begin.

p.s. and there WILL be spelling errors.

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Is Nashville any different?

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Having just moved from the Chicago area, I still like to keep up on the news there. This article seemed to sober me to the fact that not all that much has changed in the years since the book, Savage Inequalities
(Jonathan Kozol’s look at the public education system), came out about ten years ago.

Sadly, the situation seems to be the same across our country and has been this way for a hundred plus years, we do NOT have equal education. For a country that so prides ourselves on everyone receiving a quality education, the figures in the article are disturbing. I worked in the Atlanta public schools and the situation was the same. Just because a child is born into a poorer family in a lower income neighborhood, they will more then likely receive a poorer education.

So, here I am in Nashville TN, another city in this big country.

Is Nashville any different?

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Calling churches

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So I was calling a bunch of churches to tell them about this TennCare Town Hall Meeting, and I had two interesting responses.

First, nearly 90% of the churches I called nobody answered and I had to leave a message on a machine. I realize that many churches don’t have enough staff to have a full-time phone person, but still. I mean isn’t a churches main point to meet the needs of the people (It’s not a business, it’s supposed to be a community of people, more on this later)? What if I was someone with a real immediate need and the only place I felt I could find help was the church? I guess I just find that sort of sad and disturbing.

Second, I called this one church and started asking if the lady on the other line knew anyone in their church who was on TennCare. She said “no” so I just started to inform her about this meeting we were having regarding the TennCare cuts. She just kept inturpting and saying, “we’re not interested,” “goodbye” and she hung up on me! I decided to call back and when I did she passed the phone off to the pastor. I went into my most compelling arguement that as Christians we are called to care for those in need in our community and that this Town Hall Meeting was an opportunity for Christians to hear about the needs of those in their community who had been cut from TennCare. He was decently cordial and he said he would make an announcement. Maybe it’s cause it sounded political and a lot of churches are afraid of being involved with anything like that, but I was quite troubled that a person from a church would hang up on me while I was talking about people in need in the community.

I’m glad to say not all Christians are like that, and those who aren’t I’d encourage you to come out Next Tuesday (August 9th) 6-7:30pm at the Madison Branch Public Library 610 Gallatin Pike S.

See you there.

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Welcome to Nashville

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note: I submitted my blog to NashvilleIsTalking.com a sweet blog run by a news station (actually by Brittney) that just blogs about bloggers in Nashville (Like me!). Which means:
WELCOME MY NASHVILLE FRIENDS!

My own welcome to Nashville about a month ago came right in the midst of the State cutting off TennCare (the state’s health care program) for hundreds of thousands of people. Not a very nice thing.

I’m not a politician or anything, but I guess I basically think that a humane and justice society would take care of it’s sick and dying members. And so as a vocal citizens in a democracy I’ve raised my voice and called for reform that would keep those in need receiving the care that they need.

Now my Nashville family, you might be thinking: “The system is corrupt anyways! I heard about this guy who lived in Alabama who was on TennCare and pocketing tons of money! My friend said she heard of a guy who just used his TennCare to get drugs to get high on. We don’t want people like this taking our money.”
and some of those things might be true.

But Here’s your opportunity: Come out to a Town Hall Meeting and hear the stories of actual TennCare members. Hear how these cuts have affected those who are sick and some who are dying in our midst. Hear their stories.

TUESDAY
6PM to 7:30 PM
August 9, 2005

MADISON BRANCH PUBLIC LIBRARY
610 Gallatin Pike S.
Nashville, TN 37206
862-5868
Get Directions to It…

*Sponsored by the Grassroots Organizing Committee and the Nashville Peace and Justice Center
615-321-9066 http://www.nashvillepeacejustice.org

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Checking Amazon Prices

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So I found a cool website the other day and had to tell you about it.
Basically it has a phone number you can call, and then enter the ISBN number of a book and it’ll tell you the price (new and used) on Amazon.com!
Some of the great uses for this would be: Checking prices of school books at the bookstore compared to online, Not spending impulsively when you browse at Borders, or Barnes and Noble, earning a little income buying books at garage sales (or dumpsters) and selling them online.

try it out.