Photo by James Nachtwey for TIME magazine.

On this date, five years ago, we experienced a great national tragedy in the United States. Not only in the lives that were lost in the terrorist attacks, the families torn asunder, and the emergency responders who are suffering terrible health problems as a result of working at the scene – but also in the way we view ourselves and our world.

The photo essays linked below (in the September 9 post) are a reminder of what we all went through on that fateful day.

I’ve written a longer reflection at my ministry blog.

Bill Biggart’s final photograph. He was killed when the second World Trade tower collapsed on top of him. He was 53 years old.

You can read the story about Bill Biggart’s last images and see an album of his last photos at The Digital Journalist.

You can see other 9-11 photo albums by Chip East, Peter Turnley, David Turnley, and Aris Economopoulos.

Britney Spears Heat Map

I came across an interesting curiosity. The State University of New York at Stony Brook has been tracking the amount of exposure various personalities are getting in the news on a geographic basis. The results for March 2005 are available in a series of “heat maps”. The more red in a given area of the country, the more news coverage that person received in that area.

Click “more” to continue 

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Fireworks over Yukon Oklahomaon old U.S. 66. Photo © Jim Doty, Jr.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

From the Declaration of Independence, signed July 4, 1776. Written by Thomas Jefferson (1762-1826). 3rd US President (1801-09).

To see an engraving of the original and George Washington’s personal printed copy, go here.

to read the entire declaration, click the page 2 link at the right

An open post from Representative Zoe Lofgren who is on our side in the Net Neutrality debate in Congress.

Guest post from Rep. Zoe Lofgren
May 26th, 2006

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 5417, the “Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006,” which I introduced with Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner, Ranking Member John Conyers and Rep. Rick Boucher last week. This is the first bill with real protections for Net Neutrality that has passed any committee in Congress, and I am proud to be a part of it.

to continue, use the page links to the right

A plan before Congress, backed by big telecom dollars, could gut the internet’s first amendment: Net Neutrality. What is at risk is your right to choose the internet sites you want to go to, and even your right to receive emails from whomever you want. Do your part today to protect your internet rights and save Net Neutrality. Net Neutrality means YOU choose the sites you want to visit, and they are provided to you without outside intereference.

to continue, use the page links to the right

Billie checking an IV. Photo © Jim Doty, Jr.

Some people impress you immediately with a wonderful combination of compassion and competence. It’s nice to find that combination. It isn’t that hard to find people that have one or the other, and, unfortunately, to find people with neither.

I’ve spent a lot of time lately with family and friends in hospitals and medical offices. Today I was privileged to observe a hospital nurse in several interactions with several patients. One of those interactions was a potentially testy situation (a patient with wishes counter to the doctor’s orders) which she handled with tact and grace.

She is quick to respond. One patient complained that she was too hot (the room itself was pleasant). In a few minutes the nurse was back with a fan (apparently a rare commodity around here). Billie was pleasant with everyone, gentle, efficient and cheerful (and tolerated me and my camera). I suspect she would be a bit embarassed to read all of this. She is obviously compassionate and goes about her work with skill and professionalism. Such people are a joy!

As someone once said “May their tribe increase!”

Washing a patient’s face. Photo © Jim Doty, Jr. The photos that appear with this post are with Billie’s permission but she did not know what the contents of this post would be.

Four of us were watching “Lost in Translation”. At the end of the movie, Bob whispers in Charlotte’s ear. We re-ran the DVD but we were unable to figure out what Bob was saying. Curiosity led to an internet search which turned up the script and we now know what Bob said. Even better, we found hundreds of other movie scripts.

to continue, use the page links to the right

Screen shot (reduced in size) from Google Mars showing Olympus Mons and the Tharsis area of Mars.

Just what you’ve always wanted, a color-coded, topographic map of the surface of Mars. Scroll across the surface, zoom in and out, and look at the surface of Mars in visible or infrared light. You can also search for surface features, spacecraft, and stories.

to continue, use the page links to the right

Hans (left) and Sophie Scholl with Cristoph Probst (right), leaders of “The White Rose” resistance movement. Munich Germany, July 1942.

Hans Scholl and his sister Sophie were part of “The White Rose”, a group that opposed Hitler and the Nazi party. Hans served as a medic on the Eastern (Russian) front from late July to October 1942. One month later, 300,000 Germans were trapped in Stalingrad and only 5,000 returned to Germany. . .

to continue, use the page links to the right

February 18 at 11:59 pm (MST) is the National Park Service (NPS) deadline to comment on proposed changes to NPS polices that protect our National Parks. It will only take you a couple of minutes to send an online form letter, or a little longer to write your own.

to continue, use the page links to the right

From the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees web site, February 16, 2006

Why should you be concerned about the proposed changes to the “2001 Management Policies” of the National Park Service (NPS) ? Because the The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees is concerned.

to continue, use the page links to the right

From the National Council of Churches home page, February 16, 2006

You have until February 18 to do your part to save our National Parks. It will take you less than two minutes of your time if you use the form letter at the link below.

to continue, use the page links to the right

Grocery store, February 14, late in the afternoon. Photo © Jim Doty, Jr.

Ah! Valentine’s Day. I was at a local grocery store about an hour ago and the flower section was packed with men and women doing some last minute shopping. The card section was packed too and the card shelves looked like a tornado had gone through.

to continue, use the page links to the right

Grizzly Bear Man, Tommy Treadlow

Grizzly Bear Man is an off-the-wall parody of the movie Grizzly Man. The parody is an 18MB download and you will need QuickTime installed on your computer to watch it (a free download for Windows or Mac). Featuring “Tommy Treadlow,” much of the parody will only make sense if you’ve seen the original movie. This is definitely a low budget production with a “limited” cast.

to continue, use the page links to the right

“Grizzly Man” Timothy Treadwell

The award winning documentary film Grizzly Man is showing on the Discovery Channel this weekend. If you like nature, Alaska, bears, nature photography, or human behavior that is beyond the edge, you will probably enjoy this movie. Director Werner Herzog’s movie provides a fair, sensitive, non-sensationalized account that is worthy of the awards it has won at the Sundance Festival 2005 and from the L.A. Film Critics.

to continue (and see more photos), use the page links to the right

Ansel Adams, 1960, by Nancy Newhall

“Art is both love and friendship and understanding: the desire to give. It is not charity, which is the giving of things. It is more than kindness, which is the giving of self. It is both the taking and giving of beauty, the turning out to the light of the inner folds of the awareness of the spirit.” – Ansel Adams

to continue, use the page links to the right

Martin Luther King Jr.

The text below is from the end of King’s “I have a dream” speech August 28, 1963, one of the most significant and powerful speeches of the 20th century. Links to the full speech and an audio file are below.

to continue, use the page links to the right

” … I originally bought this product for my ex Shoko Y_____ because she got cold even more easily than me and I wanted her to be happy…of course she left me later…I guess it takes more than a warm mattress pad to make a relationship work … I wouldn’t suggest dating her, but I would highly suggest buying the mattress pad!

to continue, use the page links to the right

Merry Christmas to each one of you! May the coming year bring us closer to “Peace on Earth” (Luke 2:8-14) for all of God’s children in every place and of every race.