News for today's 2018

ARGENTINA’S STUNNING POLICY TURNAROUND

1:11 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGqNF7hoMRjyo9ur227BzPVjeNDC6gf21kpsfO85mlexumtwyaFH5bzsPmRb9JvgZHbmkbGOjLDg_GCsDnVUqVuh3tDylb0Aj8FKZfZA1nMPpilDy5tRu31MpAXYNdHJCRvJk73JFvDnn/s1600/hf_121475_shale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGqNF7hoMRjyo9ur227BzPVjeNDC6gf21kpsfO85mlexumtwyaFH5bzsPmRb9JvgZHbmkbGOjLDg_GCsDnVUqVuh3tDylb0Aj8FKZfZA1nMPpilDy5tRu31MpAXYNdHJCRvJk73JFvDnn/s400/hf_121475_shale.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">US COMPANY CHEVRON REGAINS FOOTHOLD IN ARGENTINA’S OIL SECTOR</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What a difference a year makes. Fiercely nationalistic Argentina is again allowing foreign oil firms back into the country.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chevron and state energy firm Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales (YPF) signed an <a href="http://www.lanueva.com/economia/nota/e82a3972b1/10/148685.html"><span style="color: blue;">agreement to develop</span></a> the Patagonian Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas deposit formations in Neuquén’s Loma La Lata and Loma Campana. Before the deal is finalized Neuquén’s provincial government must first analyze the joint venture. Neuquén’s Energy Minister William Coco told journalists that the agreement was signed in the YPF offices in Puerto Madero by YPF’s Miguel Galuccio, and Chevron President John Watson.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Background Information: </span></b></span><br /><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>   <br /><div style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">ARGENTINE SHALE GAS PRODUCTION COULD ALTER THE SOUTHERN CONES GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/03/argentine-shale-gas-production-could.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/03/argentine-shale-gas-production-could.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">ARGENTINA: CORPORATE INTEREST VERSUS IMPARTIALITY</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/03/malvinas-30-years-on_30.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com.ar/2012/03/malvinas-30-years-on_30.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiP1zoxPdT5ZuutBSx_HLjhp37d4cel7iw7tVjkUYl53Q2YaEw1-UmucSZ2oSR-PX1IFlNE6tqxqVva5trtuD5yn7F7aYWL6VpecOlqcuW_pfQUbMPNnvlhNs7FFBYzscS9naJxcqwcaoN/s1600/shale-gas-south-america.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiP1zoxPdT5ZuutBSx_HLjhp37d4cel7iw7tVjkUYl53Q2YaEw1-UmucSZ2oSR-PX1IFlNE6tqxqVva5trtuD5yn7F7aYWL6VpecOlqcuW_pfQUbMPNnvlhNs7FFBYzscS9naJxcqwcaoN/s320/shale-gas-south-america.jpg" width="246" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The agreement represents a stunning policy turnaround by Buenos Aires. The Vaca Muerta discovery was announced in December 2010 by SPANISH firm Repsol’s Argentinean subsidiary Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales YPF ARGENTINA. Two years later President Cristina Kirchner’s government nationalized it, leading to Repsol, which had majority ownership of YPF since 1999, about six years after YPF was privatized, filing a number of massive lawsuits. Foreign investment in the country’s oil and natural gas sector promptly dried up, and Cristina Kirchner’s government, unable to fund Vaca Muerta’s development, is now seeking substantial foreign investments.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">  SHIFT TOWARDS USA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chevron’s stake in the deal is $1.24 billion. Following the announcement of the contract Argentina YPF’s shares rose 3.53 percent on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange (BCBA) and 2.33 percent on the New York Stock Exchange. One unanswered question – how will Repsol view the deal?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On 16 April 2012, Kirchner introduced legislation for the partial renationalization of YPF, under which the state would purchase a 51 percent share, with the national government controlling 51 percent of this package and ten provincial governments receiving the remaining 49 percent. Ten days later the ARGENTINEAN Senate approved the takeover with 63 votes in favor of the measure, three opposing it and four abstentions. Buenos Aires alleged that Repsol was underinvesting in ARGENTINA’S hydrocarbon sector, which the government believed contributed to the decline in the country's total oil production. Prior to the expropriation, some provinces had rescinded exploration and production licenses from YPF claiming underinvestment as well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The agreement is a pragmatic marriage of convenience for both parties. According to a <a href="http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=AR"><span style="color: blue;">June 2013 report</span></a> by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, ARGENTINA has 2.5 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and technically recoverable shale oil reserves of 27 billion barrels. While ARGENTINA produces more natural gas than any other country in SOUTH AMERICA, its output has declined over 10 percent from peak levels in 2006 and it is now the continent's largest natural gas consumer. While earlier ARGENTINA was a net exporter of natural gas to neighboring countries, it became a net importer in 2008. Buenos Aire’s conundrum is how to revive its energy exports, and the past 16 months have proven that the country and YPF lack the resources to develop their energy reserves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PROTESTS OVER THE AGREEMENT STARTED IMMEDIATELY</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RH4frWXg7sr4oSWp9XC21j10DF1hkxLM4aGMEA85c-LPB9WbWo4rcbxK1GGmVvsi5L8pqGbC3-yOHCj_WzU_F_AyxYtxPC-ktosBM1XvJAQ-neicwH33_d9jzvFZ8N9DhV3Csfe_NrDL/s1600/2013-07-23T201801Z_1_CBRE96M1KE500_RTROPTP_2_ARGENTINA-CHEVRON.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RH4frWXg7sr4oSWp9XC21j10DF1hkxLM4aGMEA85c-LPB9WbWo4rcbxK1GGmVvsi5L8pqGbC3-yOHCj_WzU_F_AyxYtxPC-ktosBM1XvJAQ-neicwH33_d9jzvFZ8N9DhV3Csfe_NrDL/s320/2013-07-23T201801Z_1_CBRE96M1KE500_RTROPTP_2_ARGENTINA-CHEVRON.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Neuquén drilling rig</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Guillermo Pereyra, secretary general of the private oil and gas workers union of Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa, which has been pressuring the government for a 30 percent profit sharing scheme increase in their members’ salaries <a href="http://www.lanueva.com/elpais/nota/4466a22034/22/148978/nota.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">immediately denounced</span></a> the agreement, describing it as "unconstitutional" and emphasized that the arrangement needed to be ratified by the Neuquén legislature, asking that the "secret clauses" of the agreement be made public before ending by noting that the hydrocarbon resources belong to the provinces rather than the state.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clearly put on the defensive, Neuquén governor Jorge Sapag<a href="http://www.lanueva.com/elpais/nota/8149d98e61/22/150803.html"><span style="color: blue;"> defended the agreement</span></a> by noting that the nationalized YPF "can do no more and needs partners to provide capital."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">GOVERNMENT OVERHAULS FISCAL INVESTMENT TERMS TO STIMULATE FOREIGN CAPITAL ENTERING THE COUNTRY </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Argentina is undoubtedly taking a leaf out of neighboring Colombia’s playbook of the past decade, when the government overhauled its fiscal investment terms, which stimulated foreign capital to enter the country’s energy sector, helping nearly double production to its current level of approximately one million barrels of oil per day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The consequences of the government's abrupt policy change may surface in October's mid-term elections, a vote that will determine whether Kirchner maintains control of Congress. Political blood is in the water, as her opponents are already accusing her of “flip-flopping” by ceding too much to Chevron. One constituency that she will undoubtedly lose is the members of the country’s fiercely nationalistic unions. Should be interesting - and don't forget those lawsuits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">By. John C.K. Daly via Oilprice</span></div>

ARGENTINA’S STUNNING POLICY TURNAROUND

US COMPANY CHEVRON REGAINS FOOTHOLD IN ARGENTINA’S OIL SECTOR What a difference a year makes. Fiercely nationalistic Argentina is again all...

Revolving Credit vs. Disposable Personal Income (Musical Tribute)

9:20 PM Tukiyooo 0

The following chart shows the 10-year moving average of the natural logarithm of the ratio of revolving credit to disposable personal income.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hYJLAVqZM16w_pD4jovqVrzrW56Ypky-Zzg8gkMH5HpJDXf9QeGg0grCGrE-VCHd_ohxE5TWGWzFIm3orazncNSJcLqkPdPCrvNd4FOlTkBcHA8w2fqcvQoi0a7FYFE2g_1Y6jvK18U/s1600/Revolving+Credit+vs.+Disposable+Personal+Income.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hYJLAVqZM16w_pD4jovqVrzrW56Ypky-Zzg8gkMH5HpJDXf9QeGg0grCGrE-VCHd_ohxE5TWGWzFIm3orazncNSJcLqkPdPCrvNd4FOlTkBcHA8w2fqcvQoi0a7FYFE2g_1Y6jvK18U/s320/Revolving+Credit+vs.+Disposable+Personal+Income.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />When using natural logarithms, constant growth is seen as a straight line. We aren't seeing a straight line though. Instead, we're seeing a nearly perfect upside down parabola.<br /><br />Over the long-term, this particular growth engine is done. Stick a fork in it.<br /><br />The future's so bright I gotta roll over in symphony. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sympathy">Pun intended.</a>)<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-cDozNJ2Oyw" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=mDf">St. Louis Fed: Custom Chart</a>

Revolving Credit vs. Disposable Personal Income (Musical Tribute)

The following chart shows the 10-year moving average of the natural logarithm of the ratio of revolving credit to disposable personal income...

Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Person of the Week!

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal">The IWS Person of the Week is actor, singer, songwriter, writer, director, dancer and all-around awesome dude Joseph Gordon Levitt! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaN3WWN_-UiwvnYxJiER_zmjwlGoAFKnrxP3PP6XIGldPbyL-x3j770zFvS7X7i_eQ2oKy-0NdLjLhhycCJ0OGB5HzJba6ECLw4CSvqIl5YiiDyQBD8JEEUwaEe4F1yiBSExnzaWgoiGm/s1600/Joseph+Gordon+Levitt+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaN3WWN_-UiwvnYxJiER_zmjwlGoAFKnrxP3PP6XIGldPbyL-x3j770zFvS7X7i_eQ2oKy-0NdLjLhhycCJ0OGB5HzJba6ECLw4CSvqIl5YiiDyQBD8JEEUwaEe4F1yiBSExnzaWgoiGm/s400/Joseph+Gordon+Levitt+Hot.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s not enough for this dude to be incredibly talented and super damn good looking either! Oh no! He has to be BFF’s with Zooey Deschanel too … <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfJSvtAVgxtVmg2nd_gnm96Ij_yHWhG_yxQbcjPBwZc6UNcF7-AdA3A7LoyN3VWCnj92s-3qjmaLAueRzE1_wd7sjYo37ogy62N_twtxQzoV79BBUOPcV900i2oJ3VQ8nyXQ2NvQi89AK/s1600/Zooey+Deschanel+Joseph+Gordon+Levitt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfJSvtAVgxtVmg2nd_gnm96Ij_yHWhG_yxQbcjPBwZc6UNcF7-AdA3A7LoyN3VWCnj92s-3qjmaLAueRzE1_wd7sjYo37ogy62N_twtxQzoV79BBUOPcV900i2oJ3VQ8nyXQ2NvQi89AK/s400/Zooey+Deschanel+Joseph+Gordon+Levitt.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">But wait that’s not all! He also wrote, directed and is starring in his latest movie “<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2229499/" target="_blank">Don Jon</a>.” It’s a movie about a guy, played by JGL, who is a sex addict. And, since he’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt and can do wants he cast Scarlett Johansson as his girlfriend in the movie. OF COURSE HE DID! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvG5Me-VpgBL5U9CArGlAoNb54ftCQ6QNvpwO98f6nmtOfCZjw1WXh_cbfpzV-EWPqZUMPEadAbO9wri8RgQAX-7vbwrTEI3YVummL6oSjtlxHfzVmU7t8Zk6SDJWHcQ3SgQiHC7hSGovf/s1600/Joseph+Gordon+Levitt+Scarlett+Johansson+Lovers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvG5Me-VpgBL5U9CArGlAoNb54ftCQ6QNvpwO98f6nmtOfCZjw1WXh_cbfpzV-EWPqZUMPEadAbO9wri8RgQAX-7vbwrTEI3YVummL6oSjtlxHfzVmU7t8Zk6SDJWHcQ3SgQiHC7hSGovf/s400/Joseph+Gordon+Levitt+Scarlett+Johansson+Lovers.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I have nothing but admiration and respect for JGL and his amazing talents, but writing this has made me decide to hate him. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3zVuxfqAOkeouNuKXz1NWy8IzleIDV066SBdGi2kvF4izROWyHOzENvtKp3OVEKeeiCEsS4tvimtj-4TwScC_5mR-_-lYwY6Q0U6afzl22ofhYT72BzgErkaKjQzWraTKpqMuqr8SslI/s1600/Joseph+Gordon+Levitt+Nude+Hot+Sexy+Shirtless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3zVuxfqAOkeouNuKXz1NWy8IzleIDV066SBdGi2kvF4izROWyHOzENvtKp3OVEKeeiCEsS4tvimtj-4TwScC_5mR-_-lYwY6Q0U6afzl22ofhYT72BzgErkaKjQzWraTKpqMuqr8SslI/s400/Joseph+Gordon+Levitt+Nude+Hot+Sexy+Shirtless.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Congrats on being named IWS’ Person of the Week though dude! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Also, don’t forget to listen to the “<a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid/2013/09/22/overrated-and-underrated-show" target="_blank">Overrated andUnderrated Show</a>” on IWS Radio at 12 Noon on Sunday! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div>

Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Person of the Week!

The IWS Person of the Week is actor, singer, songwriter, writer, director, dancer and all-around awesome dude Joseph Gordon Levitt! It’s not...

Signs of fall in our rainy yard

5:38 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I33FpsYZs3LJCsb9D7mGuaK6MVHZWFmyZmxDpgKM2ugGVEHlNN4PkjRWIMdEvHdac8ZmofkQUN6epXm897MqVmHnlpkP3md-sLLHX3Sxq4STyVnTHT7MKaUofnEbDLhP5mIDFRixdZvP/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I33FpsYZs3LJCsb9D7mGuaK6MVHZWFmyZmxDpgKM2ugGVEHlNN4PkjRWIMdEvHdac8ZmofkQUN6epXm897MqVmHnlpkP3md-sLLHX3Sxq4STyVnTHT7MKaUofnEbDLhP5mIDFRixdZvP/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc_N5XgOjTWreHANhqg1J0zMqXsZeCihEN4licQX3VVhYGHbfDBbGqyyOaf28ROjWids7ap34fCfxp7v_TVULd0PpD3dkGBQMHCTipQNibOKz7B5Zn4HHWViV1eJEvmBQzaeiK4PwkyPG/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJc_N5XgOjTWreHANhqg1J0zMqXsZeCihEN4licQX3VVhYGHbfDBbGqyyOaf28ROjWids7ap34fCfxp7v_TVULd0PpD3dkGBQMHCTipQNibOKz7B5Zn4HHWViV1eJEvmBQzaeiK4PwkyPG/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nSyHOpPmY9Hk8SOB2FwspA7ETl7_w16F86zNzgM74zzy16vTpMObMP-UqKbDl10zh_Ww7UIDTGNRSJIwN0URrcUQXWMXxLsM0dqAd_h6MqgYamMXRXfjy3b3CqK9VtkAaDyUdCGxPaTi/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nSyHOpPmY9Hk8SOB2FwspA7ETl7_w16F86zNzgM74zzy16vTpMObMP-UqKbDl10zh_Ww7UIDTGNRSJIwN0URrcUQXWMXxLsM0dqAd_h6MqgYamMXRXfjy3b3CqK9VtkAaDyUdCGxPaTi/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Tomorrow is the first day of fall but the signs are already there....</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />September 21, 2013

fall in Shenandoah Valley photos by Lynn R. Mitchell Signs of fall in our rainy yard

Tomorrow is the first day of fall but the signs are already there.... Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell September 21, 2013

Signs of fall at Frontier Culture Museum

5:32 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfXiIH6JRo8gK1-oKctBFMYPR7epuiieaQ4j8j8bCA08TKMTKti-Lccy-Rm9hSRLafO-mtN0Bg7PrTO9bqGN95RsfxgzMnFXgs9OXiQwI0TtBczQlbGw9FDSk1Q9JEMJmdkBNPb8Yyjp0/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfXiIH6JRo8gK1-oKctBFMYPR7epuiieaQ4j8j8bCA08TKMTKti-Lccy-Rm9hSRLafO-mtN0Bg7PrTO9bqGN95RsfxgzMnFXgs9OXiQwI0TtBczQlbGw9FDSk1Q9JEMJmdkBNPb8Yyjp0/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZPICCVlEJk1LDVfGPh0nG4Ff-_BoTG8jehXC98PJbl6SnoYKYm5cvGYrl_rZl4pmV4uXWqBiH4diH_AnXLgb8y_aK0ex-69fngRvepQZXveZKKvU_YmE6Rg_OEtK9PrcHLMkD7ZnWg2R/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZPICCVlEJk1LDVfGPh0nG4Ff-_BoTG8jehXC98PJbl6SnoYKYm5cvGYrl_rZl4pmV4uXWqBiH4diH_AnXLgb8y_aK0ex-69fngRvepQZXveZKKvU_YmE6Rg_OEtK9PrcHLMkD7ZnWg2R/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />September 20, 2013

Signs of fall at Frontier Culture Museum

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell September 20, 2013

Adorable ... Grandpa W makes granddaughter giggle for first time

5:13 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=10,0,0,0" height="245" id="msnbc45a932" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" /><param name="FlashVars" value="launch=53060657&width=420&height=245" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed name="msnbc45a932" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" width="420" height="245" FlashVars="launch=53060657&width=420&height=245" allowscriptaccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></div><div style="background: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: center; width: 420px;"><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;"><br /></a></div>Absolutely adorable ... former President George W. Bush makes his five-month-old granddaughter Mila giggle for the first time.

family George W. Bush Jenna Bush Hager Mila Hager NBC Today Adorable ... Grandpa W makes granddaughter giggle for first time

Absolutely adorable ... former President George W. Bush makes his five-month-old granddaughter Mila giggle for the first time.

LIVE FROM NASHVILLE III

4:15 PM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Good worship last night with an especially helpful sermon by the Rev. Stefani Spellars. Good worship this morning with especially excellent music led by Dent Davidson. For communion, Dent played a medley of Adoro Devote (Thomas Aquinas’ “Humbly I adore Thee, Verity unseen, whom thy glory hidest ‘neath these shadows mean.”) and Let Us Break Bread Together. It captured the vertical and horizontal themes of our cruciform communion. Just brilliant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then Tom Breidenthal, Southern Ohio, presented on formation for mission, starting with forming the right kind of character for reconciliation, specifically <b>the</b>reconciliation of people with Christ – so not the characters to be reconcilers, but rather to point the way toward the reconciliation done by Jesus. Tom sees this mission as something we are caught up in by God. So how can we prepare for it? Tom expressed hope that God will flip the switch for small congregations focused on their own survival so that they might give up survival strategies to become the Church. Until that switch flips every program gets distorted into a survival strategy. I will be saying in my panel presentation “He who seeks to save his life will lose it.” (Jesus). That is especially true for congregations. Survival strategies are inherently counterproductive. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tom suggested that we can do “formation in expectation of mission.” It largely has to do with simultaneously embracing community and recognizing that community is the context for all our sin. He noted the perpetual tension between Christianity’s attraction to community and dread of corruption by it. Anglicanism came down strongly on the side of community with the Book of Common Prayer, though community is always at risk of collusion, exclusion, and panoply of faults and failings. So what are the practices that form us for humble, open community? Tom pointed chiefly to the Eucharist. I agree with his points. He speaks from the perspective of an excellent systematic theologian.  But I would add that there are practical skills we can learn through community organizing (IAF), reconciliation practice (Lombard Peace Institute), and behavioral covenants (Gil Rendle, Alban Institute) that will help us to effectively live out the meaning of our rituals. The translation of ritual values into practice requires an intentional formation. It doesn’t happen automatically. Too many folks practice the rituals faithfully, but don’t live their meaning (even in the context of church activities) and don’t appear to be aware of the disconnect. It strikes me that some strands of the anti-institutional movement aspire to create a more authentic community; other strands reflect our desire to flee the community because it is a place of trial; and some are caught between the two.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Stacy Sauls, Chief Operating Officer, reported on the organizing of the 815 office staff to make them more accessible to dioceses for support programs. It all sounds favorable. There is a flap these days over the corporate name of The Episcopal Church and actually people talked more about that than the support structure. The corporate name is now, has always been, but may not ever be: Domestic & Foreign Missionary Society. Of course no one actually uses that name. It’s our corporate name, not our public name. The plan is to drop “Domestic & Foreign.” Some folks object to “Missionary.” Others like it very much. Either way, it’s already there. The change is dropping “Domestic & Foreign” – not adding “Missionary.” Reasonable people of good will are concerned about this issue. I personally am not that exercised about it one way or the other. I am more concerned with the diversion of a large amount of the money that once went into supporting various kinds of ministry – we lost our Latino Ministries grant for example – into the open ended Mission Enterprise Zone grants. That may yet turn out to be a great move. But at this point, it all still seems unclear. I will be relieved to see that grant program actually functioning. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Church Pension Group then reported on their progress in bringing the health insurance premiums for different dioceses toward the same amount and on the complex interaction of the denominational health plan with the Affordable Care Act. The denominational health plan is doing better on cost control than national rates; and they are making some progress on leveling the cost of insurance for some of us high premium dioceses like Nevada with other dioceses. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Two general observations: There is a trend in the personalities of our new bishops – that means newer than me, the folks elected in the past two or three years. They seem to be of a generally moderate disposition. I am not speaking of their theology or their politics. I honestly don’t know much about that. But generally, they seem to be differentiated personalities of even temperament. This is particularly interesting to me because of the level of reactivity and emotionality that I see around the church particularly via social media. I sometimes suspect that we got in the habit of an elevated level of drama during the first decade of this century but the issues we were churning over then are now, though not completely resolved, resolved enough that they no longer drive us out to charge barricades. But we are habitual barricade chargers. So we are rather casting about for things to fight over. But the issues of today are just not up to the task of sustaining our habitual passions. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">I don’t know if it will be possible to redirect our energy from fight/flight conflicts into sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ through word and deed with a world so broken and so heartrendingly in need of salvation. But if it were possible, I suspect these new folks are the kind of leaders we would need for that sort of Church on that sort of mission. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

LIVE FROM NASHVILLE III

Good worship last night with an especially helpful sermon by the Rev. Stefani Spellars. Good worship this morning with especial...

Rainy afternoon in the Shenandoah Valley

2:30 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5LiRSukKVbk6zrjZCZdgCZYz_y163IQJtGJOE8Dnm4TXBMov4gtGwg2p2TzguLIRBiqRMrunYyixwhQ-6Anb8V1h1Z9lqPcjCZHs2-rWVnGbwxpFGo01riQNPfnrt26WGPWlPWFs3s7-/s1600/Rain+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5LiRSukKVbk6zrjZCZdgCZYz_y163IQJtGJOE8Dnm4TXBMov4gtGwg2p2TzguLIRBiqRMrunYyixwhQ-6Anb8V1h1Z9lqPcjCZHs2-rWVnGbwxpFGo01riQNPfnrt26WGPWlPWFs3s7-/s1600/Rain+1.jpg" /></a></div><br />The rain held off until after lunch today before starting as a light shower and picking up as the day wore on. Now it's a steady downpour with radar showing heavy rain into the night. Temps that never climbed out of the 60s are still there with a cool breeze coming in the open windows, and the rain interfering with the satellite signal.<br /><br />Lots of festivals were on tap today -- the Good Times, Tastes, and Traditions Festival was at the <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/">Frontier Culture Museum</a> in Staunton and will continue tomorrow when the weather is supposed to be sunny and cool.<br /><br />In Waynesboro they were cooking up chili with bluesy entertainment for the Chili, Blues n' Brews Festival throughout the downtown area.<br /><br />Up on Skyline Drive, the Apple Butter Festival was taking place at Skyland in Shenandoah National Park along with lots of activities for families and, of course, the great outdoors with hiking trails, horseback riding, and wildlife gazing.<br /><br />As the rain comes down, I'm going to curl up on the sofa and finish my book, the third in a trilogy I've been reading. I love rainy days.<br /><br />Tomorrow is the first day of fall....

Rainy afternoon in the Shenandoah Valley

The rain held off until after lunch today before starting as a light shower and picking up as the day wore on. Now it's a steady downpou...