Bill Dahl » Bill Dahl

Dahlhound Photos

bill — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:14:23 +0000

There’s just something about the life of our dogs that you have to admire…here are some shots from last night:

Fondling The Job Knob by Bill Dahl

bill — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:42:57 +0000

Here’s another Weekly Whiff of Economic $scents

Fondling the Job Knob

The most frequent word used during the Republican party presidential nominee debates is reported as “job.” Honestly, the term has become a fixture on the dial of the words each and every politician has pre-programmed into every public utterance.

The problem is, a real world challenge has become a simple point of reference or keyword that is a required utterance…It’s just a teaser…it’s foreplay. It’s just “fondling the job knob.” The problem is, foreplay typically results in an appetite for something more.

American voters deserve a discussion that gets to the meat of the matter. If values and beliefs about how someone proposes to run the largest economy in the world – both parties need to give up the specifics…what they believe will result in a vastly more satisfactory experience for the participants involved. American voters need the full meal deal…to determine whether this critical component of our compatibility is present…prior to making any commitment about marriage for “four more years.”

To use a phrase from David Brooks column today, what must be done is to “select bold policies from both ends.”

“Ready on the set…Camera…Action!”

The whole world’s watching…

Economiasma at January 24, 2012 by Bill Dahl

bill — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:25:52 +0000

Here’s my Weekly Whiff of Economic $cents:

“Yet each turn of the spiral gives rise to similar questions about the nature and purpose of an economy. How much inequality can be tolerated? When bets go sour and the economy nosedives, who gets bailed out and who are left to fend for themselves? At what point does an economy imperil itself politically, as large numbers conclude that the game is rigged against them? Most fundamentally, what and whom is an economy for?”

ROBERT B. REICH is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the Richard and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. , He has served in three national administrations, most recently as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton. He has written twelve books, including The Work of Nations, which has been translated into twenty two languages, and the best seller Super capitalism. His articles have appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. He is also cofounding editor of the American Prospect magazine and provides weekly commentaries on public radio’s Marketplace. He lives in Berkeley and blogs at www.robertreich.org.

Capitalism works only when institutions are forced to absorb the consequences of the risks that they take on. When banks can pocket the upside while spreading the cost of their failures, failure is almost certain. P.13.

Mallaby is clearly not a proponent of “privatizing the gains and socializing the losses.”

Economiasma – January 18, 2012 by Bill Dahl

bill — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:06:34 +0000

“We have not seen—and don’t expect—a broad deterioration in mortgage credit quality,” the Fed staff said in a June 2006 report to policy makers. (excerpt from WSJ Article here).

“An inability to imagine how an outcome might come about leaves you convinced that it will not happen.”(1)

Grand Pursuit – The Story of Economic Genius by Sylvia Nasar

bill — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:25:43 +0000

How might one turn economics, history and biography into a story? (p.465). Well, Sylvia Nasar did just that…an amazing story…a fantastic story…from a highly skilled story teller.

This 463 page treatise is a wonderful accomplishment and is likely to become required reading for those interested in the history and development of economic thought. As Nasar, writes: “Most journeys start in the imagination.” Friedman, Hayek, Keynes, Sen, The Webbs, Schumpeter, Marshall, Robinson – they’re all here – and many others – come alive in this magnificent weave of history, biography and economics. The manner in which it is written makes the entire subject area vastly more approachable – accessible – and shall inspire others to dedicate themselves to the the same sort of challenge that the author embraced here..

I was particularly impressed with how Nasar weaved her challenge (stated above) as cleverly, and with an unbelievable depth and breadth – yet maintained an appetite for the reader to come back for more. This is a work of art from the heart – Sylvia Nasar’s.

I truly enjoyed the journey. You will too. However, the subtitle will likely turn many off from the purchase decision…The Story of Economic Genius – probably is not one that magnetically attracts too many folks today.

Reading with Reggie by Bill Dahl

bill — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:34:15 +0000

Here’s a list of the photography books by Bill (and Reggie) Dahl….they are available in hard cover and also as epub downloads for iPad and iPhone via iBook. All my books are here:

Reading with R…

the Learning Lab

By Bill Dahl

Book Preview

Unladylike – Resisting the Injustice of Inequality in the Church by Pam Hogeweide

bill — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:22:45 +0000

Unladylike –

Resisting the Injustice of Inequality in the Church

By Pam Hogeweide

Beyond Beliefism – From “Just Us” to Justice – A Book Review by Bill Dahl

Once Upon A Time…

Once upon a time – long, long ago – in a universe far, far away – there existed the planet of KOG. The planet was inhabited by billions of people – including those who lived in the Kingdom of Christendom. The kingdom was ruled by the emperor “Justus.” The citizens were ruled by a body of laws – including the few – and excluding the many – from full participation in the Kingdom. The “laws of Justus” were deemed sacred, inviolable and not subject to interpretation, by countless villages throughout the kingdom. Each village was referred to as “church” – a place where like-minded villagers would come together for fellowship, study of the law, and worship of God. More specifically, numerous laws excluded women from exercising their God-given gifts within the Church – including leadership and teaching. Truth be told, the “laws of Justus” denied women fundamental equality with men in the Church. However, this particular set of rules regarding the role of women in daily life – and the Church – were often cloaked in a veil of vagueness, facilitating the transmission of the ongoing submission of women to the “laws of Justus” – from one generation to the next – to preserve unity within the Church…and the normative standard of ladylike identities, roles and behavior by women.

Throughout the years, many women left their local Church when they realized (among other things) their God granted giftedness and calling would not be honored by their male counterparts who led, taught and administered the Church. Many women remained content at Church. Others resigned and walked away. Others, continued to show up without being present.[1] Many more remained in the Church, submitted to the laws. Although those who inhabited the broader culture, outside the subculture of Justus, had canonized rules to insure the equality of women throughout the land – the Church remained a curious exception to these rules. How can this be? Some women (and men) began to whisper to one another. The laws of Justus demanded beliefism – an unswerving dedication to a body of beliefs – no matter what – passed from one generation to the next within the Church. It is the adoption of a way of thinking and set of beliefs about self, others, life and God that are right – and provide the basis for suspicion of others who believe differently ( see Henderson).

Unladylike?

One day, after years of increasing consternation about the ongoing unequal treatment of women within the Church, a woman by the name of Pam Hogeweide stood up and publicly declared:

“The issue of how women are politely oppressed in church is not an issue of theology - but is indeed – an issue of justice….We need a movement of women (and men) to teach us how to resist these messages of inequality and to occupy our space of full personhood together. The church needs transformation in how half its members are esteemed and treated. If not now, then when? If not us, then who?” (Hogeweide – Unladylike – 2012 – Civitas Press).

Unladylike! Heretic! Traitor! Shouted many of those deeply entrenched in maintaining and defending the status quo throughout the Church and the Kingdom of Christendom.

Unbeknownst to the vast majority within the Church – Hogeweide had come upon the realization “that there was an invisible, secret society of free thinkers roaming the church without hall passes.” For several years, she and a number of women had been gathering surreptitiously in what they refer to as listening parties – where they discussed the injustice of inequality embodied in the laws of Justus and how adherence to these laws continued to negatively impact their personhood, worth, calling, exercise of God-equipped giftedness – potential contribution to their Church, the Kingdom of Christendom – even their relationship with their own daughters – sons and husbands.

A week later, after a long illness, the emperor Justus died.

Imagine…

The above might seem cute or funny if it wasn’t true. Unfortunately, it’s a reality… except that “Justus” is alive and well. For this reviewer, there’s nothing cute or humorous about Hogeweide’s work – and the labor that lies ahead of us to infect the heart of the nation of Christendom with the merits of her profoundly persuasive and comprehensive arguments – and life experience.

Hogeweide’s work is neither a figment of the imagination nor wishful thinking. It’s about the immorality, the injustice of inequality in the Church…and imagining a better way. Unladylike confronts us with a challenge – to begin to ask ourselves and our respective Church community questions – as – “the hard questions begin when we ask what people are due, and why?”[2]

Benedict Anderson has said that nations are “imagined” communities: essentially they are ideas – that can be re-imagined.[3] Throughout the Bible, the essential truths that a prophetic, spirit of discontentment might provide are aptly represented. “This is the heart of discontentment – we imagine something better and hold that up against reality.”[4] Sociologist Daniel Levinson describes the process as “de-illusionment - a recognition that long held assumptions and beliefs about self and world are not true.[5] Is Hogeweide delusional? Not hardly.

In his most recent book, Nobel Prize winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman points out “two important facts about our minds: we can be blind to the obvious, and we are also blind to our blindness.”[6] Hogeweide’s work rips the veil of vagueness from the face of this disgrace. Christendom can no longer rationalize the injustice of the ongoing, willful, obvious blindness she so aptly characterizes.

What Sylvia Nasar, New York Times bestselling author of A Beautiful Mind has to say is pertinent to Hogeweide’s work in Unladylike. Nasar writes (in another context); “being spectacularly wrong is often the most powerful stimulus to fresh thinking.”[7] Unladylike is just the powerful stimulus the Church needs at this time, as recent research has characterized women as the backbone of the Church…as well as a dying breed.[8]

Imagine the future of the nations of Christendom – after having discarded the injustice of the present inequality within. Pam Hogeweide does. I applaud her. It took incredible backbone to write a book about the heart of this matter. As we have seen throughout the history of civilization, it takes the heart and beautiful mind of a wise, courageous and creative woman to propel us toward imagining a better way… Dying breed? Not – if Hogeweide and her ilk have anything to do with it.

Finally, a song from my childhood kept throbbing through my head as I read this book. It’s entitled “The Buses Are A Comin.”

Hogeweide’s authorship of this book finally…formally.. introduces a voice that is long overdue a legitimate place on the platform this work places her on. Pam Hogeweide… a freedom writer.”

Imagine that…

NOTES:

[1] Henderson, Jim The Resignation of Eve – What If Adam’s Rib Is No Longer Willing To Be The Church’s Backbone, BARNA – An Imprint of TYNDALE House Publishers, Inc. Copyright © 2012 by Jim Henderson, p. 7.

[2] Sandel, Michael J. Justice – What’s The Right Thing To Do? Farrar,Straus and Giroux New York, NY Copyright 2009 by Michael J. Sandel, p. 19. Note: A fine source for the comprehensive treatment of the concept of justice (and the challenge of practical decision-making) can be found at http://www.justiceharvard.org/.

[3] Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. Copyright © 1983, 1991 & 2006 by Benedict Anderson, Revised Edition ed. 2006 London and New York: Verso, pp. 5-7.

[8] SEE Henderson, Jim The Resignation of Eve – What If Adam’s Rib Is No Longer Willing To Be The Church’s Backbone, Copyright © 2012 by Jim Henderson, BARNA – An Imprint of TYNDALE House Publishers, Inc.

Looking for Interview Candidates

bill — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:14:50 +0000

Looking for people willing to be interviewed (anonymously or not — preferably NOT) who possess ALL the following characteristics:

1. Consider themselves to be “followers of Jesus.”
2. Can affirmatively state “Jesus is my God.”
3. Do NOT currently attend a church – due to their choice – rather than circumstance (incapacitating illness etc.)….and are NOT “church shopping” at present.
4. Do NOT currently work for a church or a faith based organization.
5. Do NOT currently receive any monetary compensation whatsoever from a church or faith based organization.
6. Are willing able to articulate the history of their faith journey, current relationship with Jesus, and this translates into how they live today.
7. Are NOT currently enrolled in seminary or formal Christian education program in any capacity whatsoever.
8. Do NOT tithe to a church or faith based organization.
9. Are NOT – IN ANY WAY – involved in the “religion business.”
10. May consider themselves to have “moved beyond” traditional institutional Christianity.
11. Are able to articulate what “Live Like Jesus” means to them today.
12. People who can articulate what “Just Jesus” might mean to them at this stage in their life.

Please have parties who fit the above criteria and would like to be interviewed – contact Bill Dahl at wsdahl (at) bendbroadband (dot) com with their contact info (email) including telephone number. THANK YOU!

Please pass this to someone you know may fit the above criteria and/or post publicly to invite prospective interview participants. These interviews will be used as the basis of a book I am writing.

Thanks so much!

Bill Dahl

YouTube – You Lost Me by David Kinnaman

bill — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:21:19 +0000

Click here for the You Tube Video:

My review of the David’s book is here and my interview with David is here:

See Sojourners article entitled “Millennials to the Church: Wake Up or We’re Outta Here” — as well here:

FLOATography – The Photography of Bill Dahl

bill — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:47:38 +0000

Here’s my most recent photography book. Enjoy!

FLOATography by Bill Dahl | Make Your Own Book