Tuesday, September 30, 2008

We Is Abuelos AGAIN!!

I have been informed that storks don't bring babies. Apparently they are the result of, well, uhm, you know!




Sorry, no photos available. Yesterday, our daughter Anne, mother of Miss Evannie, the grandchile whose photo never appears on this blog due to her mom's orders, gave birth to Evannie's new baby sister and Evie's (Miss Bebé's) new cousin, Adele Anne. Also, our Panamanian daughter, Yasuri, gave birth to Alejandra's brand new baby sister and Evie and Evannie and Adele's new cousin Victoria Medina last week. So, the Lovely Mona and Padre gots plenty granchile's to spoil and work-up and hand back to their parents. I guess if I leave the country, de granchiles dey comes. Perhaps I should stay put for a while.

Episcopal Bloggers Meet in Asheville, N.C. and are Allowed to Remain in Restaurant


Here's a photo of Profesora Acts of Hope (aka Jane R.) y Padre Mickey dining at the Flying Frog Café in beautiful down-town Asheville, N.C. last week. We had a glorious dinner and lotsa laughs, and they were very patient about our placing The Boys on the table and, as you can see, didn't even kick us out when we grabbed the table linens from the other tables and built a fort. Of course, many more photos were taken, which will most probably appear on Friday Red. Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito Blogging. So stay tuned during the week for other stories of my time at CREDO.

I'm Back!


Famous Episcopal Blogger Marshall of Episcopal Chaplain at the Bedside and The Episcopal Cafe with the even MORE famous Red Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito

Yes, I'm back from beautiful Lake Logan in Canton, North Carolina. I had a great time and met a lot of wonderful people (especially Nancy, Jennifer, Greg, and Eric. Group 4 rules!). I gots plenty a stuffs for to catch up on, so Padre blogging might be a bit slow, but since the Lovely Mona did such a great job of blogging and made this a more thoughtful and serious place, I don' wanna mess it all up just now.

But it's great to be back home, and Señorita Chompita Wiggletail is estatic.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Feast of St. Michael the Archangel and all Angels

Padre Mickey wrote this post last year and asked me to repost it today. Hope you enjoy it.


Today is the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel and all Angels, or Michaelmas.
The feast is popular again, probably due to the rise of angelology in New Age circles over the past ten years or so. An entire industry has sprung up over for a while around the subject of angels, producing music and books odd websites. Some people's interest and devotion to angels has replaced any interest and devotion to God, which is, of course, idolatrous, but this is not the first time in history that angel worship has been popular. It was also common during the first two centuries of Christianity, especially in Phrygia, Greece, and Palestine, and St. Paul mentions angel worship in his letter to the Christians in Colossus. The introductory lecture by the Rev. Dr. L. William Countryman in New Testament when I was at C.D.S.P. left an impression on my entire class. Professor Countryman shocked us all with the idea that the Epistle to Jude was about sex with angels! So, let’s talk about angels.

The English word 'angel' comes from the Greek word 'angelous' which means 'messenger.'
Angels are God's messengers, and that is the purpose they serve throughout most of the Old Testament. However, Zoroastrian influence during the time of the Babylonian exile changed the concept of angels from messengers of God to powerful supernatural beings who were either on the side of God or on the side of Satan; it introduced a dualistic element to the understanding of angels. By the year 160 B.C., the Essenes, who lived in the desert of Qumran, had created an entire Host or Army of angels who served God, wile the Demons, or Angels of Darkness served Satan. With this idea of an angelic army came the idea of different choirs of angels, different divisions who served different purposes. These groups originally were divided as Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Watchers, and Angels. By the sixth century of the Christian Era,the mystical theologian Psuedo-Dionysius developed an hierarchy of "Heavenly Beings" which he received from his “sacred-initiator.” According to Psuedo-Dionysius, there are three three-fold hierarchies of Heavenly Beings: the first hierarchy, which are the beings which surround God the Father, are the "Holy Thrones and Orders said to possess many eyes and wings, also called Seraphim and Cherubim." The word "Seraphim" means "Fire-makers" in Hebrew, and Psuedo-Dionysius says that this means they are "Carriers of Warmth." The word "Cherubim" means "Out-pourers of Wisdom" in Hebrew, and Psuedo-Dionysius writes that the Seraphim and Cherubim are most like God in these ways. The second hierarchy consists of Authorities, Dominions, and Powers. This group works between the first hierarchy and the third hierarchy. The third and final hierarchy, according to Psuedo-Dionysius, consists of Principalities, Archangels, and Angels,with only Archangels and Angles dealing with human beings.


Human interaction with angels is described throughout the Old Testament, beginning with a Cherub with a flaming sword guarding the gate to Paradise. Abraham's angel visitations, and Jacob's vision of angels ascending and descending from a ladder between heaven and earth is another example. Moses dealt with angels such as Michael in the Wilderness, and the Day of Atonement liturgy described in the book of Leviticus describes the action of the High Priest placing the sins of the community on a goat and releasing the goat to Azazel, a fallen angel of the desert. By the time of the Book of Daniel and the prophet Isaiah's vision of heaven, angels were no longer simply God's messengers, they became supernatural beings with much power,who praised God in front of the throne or fought in God's army. Angels were also terrifying creatures; their presence was so frightening that the first words they usually say to humans are "Fear not!" This also may be because they tend to simply appear out of nowhere; I don’t know of any stories where one was watching angels wing their way towards them with a message; they just appear and say “Fear not!”
Artists over the centuries, especially during the Renaissance, tended to portray angels as androgynous blonds with wings, and they tend to portray Cherubim as fat little baby angels. But Cherubim are not fat baby angels, they are terrifying creatures; they are described as having the head of a man, the body of a lion, and wings! And Seraphim are huge, fiery, snake-like creatures, not blond guys with wings. Isaiah's description of heaven tells of Seraphim flying above God's throne, and the Seraphim are described as having six wings: two to cover their face, two to cover their feet, (which is a euphemism for genitals), and two with which to fly.

They fly above God's throne chanting "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts." A Seraph picked up a hot coal from the altar of incense and put it on Isaiah's lips to purify them.

In the New Testament, the Archangel Gabriel gave Mary the message that she would become Theotokos, the God bearer. An angel also brought a message to Zechariah and silenced him.

In fact, angels tend to appear throughout Luke's gospel and its sequel, the Acts of the Apostles.
Angels appear in Mark's gospel, but only to minister to Jesus while he iwas in the wilderness, after his encounter with Satan, and they appear in Matthew's gospel in dreams to warn of trouble to the baby Jesus.

As mentioned earlier, during the first and second centuries and during the time of Jesus, angels were very popular, as popular as they are in our day, and there were those who worshipped them and wanted to enlist them in giving them power over others. these beliefs were poplar among some Gnostic groups, and they developed amazing cosmologies in which angels were featured. The Essenes' teachings also added to these ideas. Remember the fourth verse of Genesis, Chapter 6, about the Nephilim, (which means 'fallen ones' in Hebrew) who were the children of human women and angel fathers and were "the giants and heroes of old?" Well, some Gnostic groups took that passage and decided that it meant that they could attain certain mystic knowledge through sexual relations with angels! St. Paul seems to think that angels are attracted to a woman's long hair, and suggested that they keep their heads covered in church. But St. Paul also believed that humans were more important to God than were the angels and he said that humans would judge angels. Some people believe that Satan is a Fallen Angel, and they tell the story of Lucifer, the Morning Star, trying to put his throne higher than God's and starting a war in heaven. Have you read that story in the Bible? No, you haven't because it is not in the Bible.

When John Milton wrote the book Paradise Lost, he used some verses from Isaiah chapter 14:

How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, Son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God . . . I will make myself like the Most High.

But these verses are about a Babylonian king who was called the Day Star. It is interesting how something written by Milton became theological truth to many. When we read the book of Job, Satan is a part of God's Court,so perhaps he is some kind of angel.


Today's feast is named after St. Michael the Archangel. Michael is the head of the Heavenly Host, the Five-star General of God's Angelic Army. Michael is also the protector of Israel, Protector of the Chosen People. Psuedo-Dionysius claimed that every nation is actually directed and protected by one of the archangels, and that Michael is the leader of the Jewish nation; he did not name the other Archangels and their respective nations. According to tradition, Michael is supposed to protect Christians from the devil at the time of death. This probably comes from the mention of Michael arguing with Satan for the soul of Moses, which is mentioned in the Epistle of Jude and comes from the Book of the Secrets of Enoch, an apocalyptic book written in 160 B.C.

There was a cult which venerated Michael the Archangel in Phrygia (a regular hot-bed of heresey!), and they believed he had the power to heal, so many hot springs in Greece and Turkey are dedicated to him. Michael's place in the heavenly court is next to the altar of incense, and when incense is blessed for use in our liturgy, the priest usually says the following prayer:

By the intercession of Blessed Michael the Archangel, who stands
at the right hand of the altar of incense, and of all the Saints, may
the Lord bless this incense, and accept it as a pure oblation, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.


The name Mikael, or Michael in English, means "who is like God?" in Hebrew, and this has led to some weird ideas about Michael the Archangel. Charles Taze Russel, the man who started the Jehovah's Witnesses taught that Jesus was actual Michael come to earth, and there are New Agers who "channel" Michael. These beliefs and teachings, as well as much of the angelology going on nowadays is actually idolatrous. Angels are God's messengers, and they are God's servants. Their only purpose, the only reason they were created, is to do God's will. They have no say in the matter, and they just do what they are told. Humans, however, are created in God's image, and we have been given free will, and that puts us in a different place than the angels.

When you die, you won't get some wings and a harp and sit on a cloud as a new angel, no matter what image popular movies leave you. Angels probably don't spend their time fighting demons and keeping you out of trouble. Angels are God's messengers and they deliver God's messages. We are not to worship angels, we are not to try to control angels, and we are not to try to 'channel' angels or anything else. Since we have free will, it’s best if we choose to do God's will, it’s best if we choose to help bring about God's reign, it’s best if we choose to love one another as Christ loves us, and it’s best if we choose to serve God. We don't need to worry about Guardian Angels, or whether angels are real or not; what we need to worry about is how we treat each other, about how we treat those who are the least among us. We need to worry about helping others learn of the Good News of forgiveness of sins and that God loves everyone and want relationship with everyone. We need to tend to the sick, to pray for each other, and to love each other. Then we can join with the angels in heaven and sing God's praises, because we will be doing God's will, just as the angels do.

Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Johnny Got His Gun

Has anyone here read this book? I just started reading it for my ethics class and find it very difficult to follow. It’s not told in linear time. It jumps from one time period to another, back and forth, memory upon memory. There are no smooth transitions between periods and what I’m presuming to be memory. Not sure what it has to do with ethics yet.

It was written by Dalton Trumbo and was originally published in 1939. It’s starts off when a hungover Joe learns his father just died. Then he’s at his home with his mom and sister and all of a sudden he’s floating off deaf in what sounds like a bizarre dream. Then suddenly his dad and mom are dating. Just as suddenly Joe is deaf, bandaged, floating on water (where? No idea), and had his arm cut off. At this point he sounds like he's in the hospital. Then all of a sudden he’s with his girl just before he goes to war to fight the Germans. I keep thinking I missed something as I’m reading and I’m only on page 36. I’m sure this will all begin to make sense after another 30 pages or more.

The book is a National Book Award Winner and is supposed to be Trumbo's most highly acclaimed work, according to the back cover. So, if you’ve read it or know anything about Johnny Got His Gun, please feel free to comment on it. I would love to hear what you think.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Did you notice on the debate...

How many times did McCain say Obama "doesn't understand" or "doesn't get it?" It seems like almost every time he began talking, he would start with one of the two phrases. Talk about synchronicity with my post on fear mongering.

At one point, McCain said drilling would bring temporary relief. I did a report in American Foreign Policy in summer school about realism. Short term interests are more important to realist than to liberals who are more interested in long term goals. Is McCain a realist?

Now we'll get to see if "Obama doesn't get it/understand" gets repeated by every news reporter over the next few day. Which sound bites do you think we'll hear a lot over the next few days or weeks?

Media and Fear Mongering

Friday Night Mr. Red Peanut Bank will return next week. Meanwhile....

I read Narrative Techniques of Fear Mongering by Barry Glassner for my media class and thought I would share some of it with you. Much of it has to do with info you’re already aware of. This would include that “politician sell themselves to voters, TV and print newsmagazines sell themselves to viewers and readers, advocacy groups sell memberships, quacks sell treatments, lawyers sell class-action lawsuits, and corporations sell consumer products.” This we already know. BTW, everything in quotes will have come directly from the article.

You will even recongnize the techniques fear mongerers use: repetition, the depiction of isolated incidents as trends, and misdirection. We see this regularly. This is especially noted repeatedly on the Daily Show were we see clips of how FOX News along with other news stations and the administration repeat certain phrases that we know are lies to misdirect us.

Turns out that in the 1990’s the murder rate actually went down 20%, but newscasts increased the stories by 600% leaving us with an impression that the murder rate had increased.

Another example, also during the 1990’s, is that both Time and US News and World Report had headlines how teenagers were “time bombs.” This was really a time “in which violence-related deaths in the nation’s schools actually hit a record low: 19 deaths out of 54 million children.”

Remember the child kidnapping scare of the 1980’s? I do. That’s when my daughters were very young. Turns out “police agencies were reporting fewer cases of stranger kidnapping than in previous years.” But the ones that were highlighted were reported as “trends” and “epidemic” by reporters by using a few isolated incidents.

Glassner explains these techniques distract us away from real issues. Billions of tax dollars are wasted by creating legislation that isn’t needed because of public outcry from the success of the fear mongering. This money could be better used to contribute to society in areas of education, infrastructure, and health care.

Friday Random Top Ten



As Padre Mickey says, "ya pushes "shuffle" and ya takes yer chances." And no one says it better than him.

1. Roller Coaster, 13th Floor Elevator
2. Frivolous Tonight, XTC
3. The Rooster, Outcast
4. Ten Feet Tall, XTC
5. Such Unlikely Lovers,Elvis Castello with Burt Bacharach
6. Barstool Blues, Neil Young and Crazy Horse
7. End of the Line - 36, Travelling Wilburys
8. Aprendere A Vivir, Samy & Sandra Sandoval
9. Tell it To Carrie, The Romantics
10. Scarecrow People, XTC

Seems like the shuffle is rather fond of XTC tonight. I'm rather fond of them, too.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Today and Brief Padre Mickey Update

Thought I would lighten up the tone this evening.

This morning I worked on a paper for my media class that is due tomorrow. Then I studied for a test in ethics this afternoon that was easier than I expected. Must admit I rambled on in the essay question. But I feel more relaxed because that’s now out of the way. I have tons of reading to do and the ethics paper to write by Tuesday.

Padre Mickey has been calling me every night. What a sweetheart. He’s having a wonderful time. He told me dinner with Jane was great. Says where he’s staying is beautiful. He sounds really relaxed. He will tell you all about it when he gets back next week. He's taken lots of pictures. The boys went with him, so who knows what Friday Night Mr. Red Peanut Bank will bring us next week.

I also went to a meeting for graduation. Yeah!!! I graduate in December!!! They want pictures of us in our cap and gown for the announcement. So I scheduled mine for next Thursday. Must get hair done.... must wear make-up..... Never been too girlie.

Now, I just want to take it easy the rest of the evening. I gots a busy weekend ahead of me. Shriek!!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

While were on the subject of lying....

I just checked out the archives of "This American Life" and they have a show on lying. So I'm listening to it now. As with all This American Life programs, it's worth listening to. Here's the link. Let's see if I can do this. http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=18

Caminante, I tried the link chain thing, but I couldn't get it to work. Must have omitted something.

Is truth a virtue for its own sake?

This is a question on which I have to write an essay. I haven’t started yet, but had been thinking about it while reading Sissela Bok’s book Lying.

I know we all tell white lies. I’m likely to tell someone “I’m fine” when I’m really feeling a little off. Mostly, it’s because I want to avoid a boring discussion of my health or I’m tired because I stayed up too late.

But other lies Bok writes about is are ones that we face that could have serious consequences. This includes whether or not doctors tell us the truth about our illness because they are afraid we don’t want to hear the bad news. What about protecting peers, clients or parishioners with confidentiality and secrecy? We hear lies regularly from our politicians with the excuse they’re for “the public good.” Right now it’s to win an election. Bok even discusses how exaggerated letters of recommendations fit into the discussion on lying. There are many other examples in her book about lying that could be mentioned. But I’ll let you read the book to learn more if you’re interested.

The main thing I’m getting out of Lying is that there are consequences that need to be taken into account. Lies can be harmful to the “duped” and to liar. According to Augustine, it’s the liar’s soul that will be harmed. But most likely, those that are lied to won’t trust the liar. Utilitarians, on the other hand, believe the end justifies the means and if that means lying so be it. In most of the situations she discusses, she has arguments on why the truth is better. People don’t want to be duped. We want the truth. We can make better decisions when we have the truth. We know we can work together better if we work with truthful, honest people.

The only thing negative about truth is blatant truth meant to harm someone. This I have problems with when it comes to being a virtue for its own sake.

I know I prefer truth and honesty. I have felt guilty and horrible whenever I was caught in a lie in the past and do everything I can to avoid them now. Do you think truth is a virtue for its own sake?

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Lying

The good Padre wants me to post regularly, so I hope you don’t mind hearing those issues I’m studying. My ethics class has been focusing on lying for the past couple of weeks. I find this very interesting because, especially in the wake of our upcoming election and all that has been in the news regarding all the candidates.

According the St. Augustine, Kant, Calvinist Legalists, and Pope John Paul II, lying is wrong under any circumstance. You can’t lie no matter what.

Augustine has listed eight kinds of lies, all which are unacceptable. Better to save your soul than lie to protect someone and loose your soul. Lying is a sin no matter what. Kant believed we owe everyone the truth. This has to do with dignity and respecting others. The Pope wrote in Veritatis Splendor that the church is the pillar of truth and we are can’t alter truth as we see fit. Lying is wrong and a sin and the Bible and Church says it’s an evil. Calvinist Legalists POV also says never, never, never lie cuz it’s a sin. However, Grotius says to give people the truth that they are are due, however, in particular situations, we don’t necessarily need to reveal the truth, esp. in private affairs.

Then we have Joseph Fletcher who promotes Act Utilitarianism under a new name: Situation Ethics. Fletcher’s idea is that “1) only one thing is intrinsically good, namely love: nothing else. 2) The ultimate norm of Christian decisions is love: nothing else. 3) Love and justice are the same, for justice is love distributed. 4) Love wills the neighbor’s good whether we like him or not. 5) Only the end justifies the means: nothing else. 6) Decisions ought to be made situationally, not prescriptively.” This is from Situation Ethics a book on a debate between Fletcher and John Warwick Montgomery. Montgomery sees that if there is a choice between two evils, you chose the lesser of two evils, but you have to ask Jesus for forgiveness because lying is wrong even for good intentions.

So between Calvin legalist, Kant, Augustine and the Pope who believe no lying no way no how, you would think all the political conservatives would be truth-sayers because they are such good Christians. What do you think?

Some great documentaries


I’m taking an online class called Sociology in the Media. Part of the class requires that I watch documentaries. Michael and I saw the movie “Out Foxed” a while back, but if you haven’t seen it, it’s a study of how the Fox network changed the way the news is told. http://www.freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=43 is a site that carries “Out Foxed” and many other good documentaries. They also have “Big Bucks, Big Pharma” which I watched for my drug and alcohol class. It describes how pharmaceutical companies market their products.

Another movie they have is “The Panama Deception” which Michael and Walter show all the Panama Project people. It really appears to be anti-US, but it is from the Panamanian point of view of the Panama invasion. “Road to Guantanamo” is another doc that I watched in another class and recommend. Other movies that I’ve seen on the list is “Sicko,” “Supersize Me,” “Jesus Camp,” and “Gay Conversion.”

Another movie I highly recommend is called “Toxic Sludge is Good for You.” I watched this today for the media class. It’s an in-depth look at how public relations has infiltrated our media, news, and democracy. Even the word sludge has been renamed biosolid. What’s disturbing is the way the news reports non-news by PR companies. These are pre-packaged commercials that look like news. Local TV stations buy these because funding has been cut and it saves them money. The only free site I found is a bootleg copy, which I don’t recommend. You miss most of it, a cell phone rings, someone walks in front of the camera, and the sound quality is really bad. I’m sure you could rent it or buy it. That would also help the organization that put it together so they can continue getting putting out documentaries.

Another one of theirs is Independent Media in a Time of War. You can see that at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6546453033984487696. Sorry I don’t know how to do the “click here” thing. This doc shows how the American people are shielded from the pictures of the Iraq war and how our news is white washed and packaged for our viewing. We don’t see the destruction of human life that our bombs have brought. The premise is based on the lack of independent reporting and how embedded journalists work with the military and are safe compared to unembedded journalists. Consolidation of media companies are leading to the “group-think” news reporting where we see the same news no matter what station we go to. Interesting stuff. Check it out.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

I'm Off to los Estados Unidos de América en la Mañana


Well, I've been crashing since yesterday. However, the Lovely Mona and I attended the anniversary party of the Altar Guild today (the Lovely Mona was very clear about the fact that I would be there!), which was fun. Then I spent the afternoon folding my laundry and packing for my trip tomorrow. I will be attending a CREDO thang in North Carolina (somewhere outside of Asheville. Let's be honest. The only places in the U.S.A. in which I have an interest are Berkeley, San Francisco, Sonora, Fresno, and San José, California, Boston, and New York City.) My flight leaves at 7:30 a.m., which means I have to be at the airport at friggin' 5:30 a.m. Also, I'm traveling on Delta, which is hell, in my opinon. I'm a Copa/Continental airlines kinda guy. Continental treats you like a human being; well, until you enter the contintental U.S., where all airlines treat you like chattel. However, I will be having dinner in Asheville, N.C. with Jane R. of Acts of Hope, and I'm really looking forward to that. Yes, the Bank and Bird are traveling with me, as they expressed an interest in meeting another blogger, just as they did last year in Beautiful Berkeley, California. That Hospital Chaplain Blogger fella is gonna be there, too, and I'll try to talk him into a photo session with the toys. So, I'll be doing the CREDO thang and I'll be home in Panamá on Monday, Sept. 29, probably too late to post about St. Michael and All Angels, but, tuff stuff, kids.; Deal with it!
The Lovely Mona is in charge. Behave!!

Friday, September 19, 2008

The Wake

Well, la Familia Leigh y Hodgson and folks from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Padre y the Lovely Mona participated in a Wake for Elizabeth Leigh in Gamboa. There was lots of great food and booze, as one expects in a proper Wake. After talking with the youths and teaching a few guitar chords, I headed down the street to drink with my buddy Egbert and some other folks. The Lovely Mona stayed with the young folks and their celebration, and she took some photos.

I'm just gonna post them without comment. You can tell that we all did honor to Lizzie's memory!





Señorita Chompita Wiggletail's sister, Miss Viola.

Señorita Chompita Wiggletail's niece, Natasha. Natasha and her mom are moving to a new home tomorrow.




A Classic Episode of Red Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito Blogging

As stated earlier, most of our day involved Elizabeth Leigh's funeral, and I simply don't have time to pose our little band tonight. So, we of Padre Mickey's Dance Party invite you to enjoy a classic episode from a year ago. Yes, it is about the newest rising star of the Dance Party Players, the Egyptian Hippo of Love. Enjoy!

Red Mr. Peanut Bank Hello, Gallito Mescalito! How are things with you?
Gallito Mescalito Shriek shriek shriek. ¡Shriek!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Well, that's the way it is here; one minute it's sunny and suddenly the sky opens up!
Gallito Mescalito ¿Shriek-shriek? ¡Shriek!

Red Mr. Peanut Bank Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love? You're right; she certainly has become popular lately!
Gallito Mescalito ¡¡Shrieeek!!

Red Mr. Peanut Bank Well, I wouldn't go that far!
Gallito Mescalito Shriek shriek shriek


Red Mr. Peanut Bank People like her singing. I'm starting to think that you're jealous!
Gallito Mescalito ¿Shriek-shriek? ¡Shriek!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Puhleeze! She is NOT trying to get in every photo!

Gallito Mescalito ¿Shriek? ¿SHRIIEEEK?

Red Mr. Peanut Bank Well I haven't noticed it. I think you're paranoid!

Mr. Chompy's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy Hey guys! I needsta talk wit cha!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Oh, hello Mr. Chompy's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy!
Gallito Mescalito Shriek.
Red Mr. Peanut Bank I was just trying to relieve Gallito here of his paranoid delusions.
Mr. Chompy's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy Oh yeah? Well, I don' know much about economic teary, in fact, I tink I got a B in Econ 101, but what I DO know is dat Hippo is gettin' too popular! She's everywhere! She's gettin' her face in every pitchure!
Gallito Mescalito ¿Shriek? ¿SHRIIEEEK?

Red Mr. Peanut Bank Puhleeze! You're as bad as the bird!
Gallito Mescalito (off camera) ¡¡Shrieeek!!
Mr. Chompy's Chewed-up Squeaky Kitty Toy Evah since she stahtid dat band, she's been dominatin' the Friday Bloggin' thang. An' her face is everywhere. You know it's true!!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank I don't know why you're getting so jealous; you have lots of fans!


¡El Toro! Buenas tardes a todos.
Squeaky Gorilla Hi, guys. skeek
Gallito Mescalito Shriek.
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Hello, Gentlemen! What's going on?
¡El Toro! Tenemos un problema con señorita hipopótamo de amor.
Squeaky Gorilla Yeah. She gotted all popalah and sticks her face in all da pitchures. skeek
Red Mr. Peanut Bank What's that noise?
¡El Toro! ¿Cómo?
Squeaky Gorilla I don' heah nuttin'! skeek She showed up on dat old lady's blog, too, and dat make her more famous den us! skeek
¡El Toro! ¡Es verdad!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank You really don't hear that noise? Well, I don't know what the big deal is. I've appeared on other blogs, and people quote Gallito Mescalito all over the episcopalblogosphere.
Squeaky Gorilla Well, we wanna talk about dat, too. skeek
Red Mr. Peanut Bank You know, that's really QUITE annoying!
Squeaky Gorilla What? skeek
Gallito Mescalito Shriek shriek shriek. ¡Shriek!


Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Hi boys! 'sup?
Everyone, in one voice ¡¡SHHRRRIIIIEEEEEKKKK!!
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love You aren't talking about me behind my back, are you?
Everyone, in one voice Heavens, no, Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love! We would never do anything like that!!
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love I hope you boys aren't lying to me. Now, everybody run along, except for Red Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito.
The other three, all together Yes, Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love. Thank you, Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love!

Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Okay, Red; what's was everyone talking about?
Red Mr. Peanut Bank I think they're just a bit jealous of your new fame.
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Well, don't you worry your pretty little heads about all that. I doesn't mean anything to me. All I want is the friendship of you boys, and for you all to serve as my back-up singers.
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Oh, Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love, I'm so happy to hear that. And thank you for letting us back you up and share your fame!
Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Now you boys just run along with the others. Miss Hippo must get her beauty sleep!
Red Mr. Peanut Bank Yes, ma'am!
Gallito Mescalito ¡Shriek!


Miss Egyptian Hippo of Love Heh heh heh heh. Wadda buncha maroons!! HIPPOS ROCK!

Elizabeth Leigh's Funeral

We're getting a lot of hits at the Dance Party from Smithsonian folks interested in Elizabeth Leigh's funeral. I was going to put everything in proper order with captions, but we're headed to Gamboa for the wake. Maybe I'll do something proper later.
































I See You!

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