SC Lamont RN Homepage & Blog http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont Blog by a Canadian ex-pat nurse living and working in the US. The purpose of this blog is to post interesting, day to day tidbits that touch upon at least one of several eclectic topics, ranging from news, the environment, and health care to commentary on politics, and anything else that seems interesting. Mainly, the hope is to provoke thought and maybe challenge some assumptions. en-us Copyright 2005 by Scott Chisholm Lamont, RN sclamont@silvermoonhealth.org http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/images/SCLRN_logo-sml.gif SC Lamont RN Homepage & Blog http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/ 144 35 GetReligion debates Wiccan dogma. Well, not exactly. It really started off as a critique of the lack of comprehensive coverage in an MSM article on Wicca, which is hardly surprising, since that is the focus of the website . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11212006.htm Tue, 21 Nov 2006 21:31:00 -0700 Paganism interfaith religion Sculpture painting at Spiral Scouts. Tonight the girls and I were off to Spiral Scouts, which meets at the local UU church. Spiral Scouts is the alternative to traditional scouting for children belonging to minority religions, particularly Earth centered faiths . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11202006.htm Mon, 20 Nov 2006 22:23:00 -0700 Paganism Spiral Scouts family Oh, another Bush mistake! The NY Times headline reads "Studies Find Danger to Forests In Thinning Without Burning", and the story is basicaly that Bush's "Healthy Forests Initiative" thinning plan (which timber companies loved) leaves too much brush and deadfall on the ground, resulting in hotter, more destructive fires . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11172006.htm Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:50:00 -0700 Bush forestry environmentalism Follow-up on the "Great Debate" - audio and video posted. So the video and audio of my debate with an evangelical pastor last month are now online. I actually found these links about a week ago, and just have not had the time to write what I wanted to write and get it posted. I am still working on a piece reflecting on my experience of the interaction and my impression of one of the major differences in spiritual approach between Pagans (as I have come to understand them) and evangelical Christians (as I am coming, in an admittedly limited way, to understand them) . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11142006.htm Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:58:00 -0700 Paganism Christianity religion Rude Pundit goes over the edge. "Christ Weary of Election Prayers" reads the headline. What follows is a colourfully worded rant about the Family Research Council's "Super-Duper Prayer Team", which of course the Rude One belongs to "under a nom de rude". I like his closing suggesting that the religious Right is beseeching a "micromanaging God ". My favourite old (and probably mangled) quote is that "the Goddess does not take sides in political debates or interspecies warfare". She/He/It doesn't sweat the small stuff, and we probably shouldn't either. http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11132006.htm Mon, 13 Nov 2006 23:21:00 -0700 politics humour religion It's official - I'm a Dixie Chick fan. Tip of the hat to Atrios over at Eschaton for this video of the Chicks playing "Ain't Ready to Make Nice". There's also some good stuff on them over at Crooks & Liars. Check out their MySpace page on the documentary coming out called "Shut Up and Sing". Sounds like NBC doesn't want to run the ad for it, but I'm sure as hell going to see it. And I've decided to buy every CD they've ever made . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11102006.htm Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:58:00 -0700 Dixie Chicks music free speech In case you are living under a rock.

The Dems took the US Senate too. Maybe some sanity will be re-injected into the foreign policy of the world's one remaining super power.

Even better, maybe we won't have to listen to any more crap about a permanent Republican majority.

 http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11092006.htm Thu, 09 Nov 2006 09:07:00 -0700 2006 US election news politics Blech - JCAHO visit this week. You know that it is Monday when you are woken before 0700 by your boss and informed that the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JACHO) is in the house, and you get to do a home visit with a surveyor. Sigh. http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11062006.htm Mon, 06 Nov 2006 07:15:00 -0700 Monday JCAHO nursing Dancing and drinking. I have to admit that I stayed out way too late dancing at our annual SWEFA Witches' Ball last night. Then some of us came back to our place and hot tubbed until well after 2am . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/11052006.htm Sun, 05 Nov 2006 22:11:00 -0700 family spiritual Samhain beer Samhain blessings. The joy of working for a modern and open environment like UNM Hospitals is that you get to take the day off for religious observances without a hassle - Shara and I are both home getting ready for our personal Samhain ritual, which will take place this evening after the girl is off to bed . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10312006.htm Tue, 31 Oct 2006 14:01:00 -0700 family spiritual Samhain Pay now or pay later. That's really what it comes down to when faced with the problems of environmental degradation. A WaPo article today stated that "Unchecked global warming will devastate the world economy on the scale of the world wars and the Great Depression, a major British report said Monday." . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10302006.htm Mon, 30 Oct 2006 12:45:00 -0700 climate change politics environmentalism Daylight savings and preschoolers. So here's the deal with preschoolers and the time change: They don't care about the clock. The girl was up early, and I mean early even with the 'fall back' taken into account. We had forgotten completely about it, at least until I turned on Shara's machine to scan the news . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10292006.htm Sun, 29 Oct 2006 22:42:00 -0700 Samhain family Site maintenance. So, with much effort I have finally gotten my RSS feed fixed. It has taken a long time because when I screwed it up (remember, I'm coding this stuff all by hand, no fancy software to help me out), I just didn't have the time to go redo it. So I would post, and that would take my free time, and so the feed would get further and further behind, until it became an unreasonably big job to deal with . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10232006b.htm Mon, 23 Oct 2006 21:21:00 -0700 Blogging Feeds Complaining How and why do you pick a label for yourself? Callie, the Red State Exile, is guest blogging over at Pam's House Blend, and she posted this thought provoking question: What do you call yourself? Gay, lesbian, homosexual, queer, bisexual, nothing (one of those don't believe in labels people)? The comments are really interesting, go check them out. Here is my reply: . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10232006.htm Mon, 23 Oct 2006 10:41:00 -0700 queer gay LGBTIQQ identity politics The Great Debate (or polite discussion). I have posted nothing this week, despite the many things that I would like to write about, because I have been so busy between work, home, and preparing for a debate. We (that being the local Pagan community) were invited to participate in a debate regarding Hallowe'en on the UNM campus, hosted by The City on a Hill (which is in the old Lobo Theatre on Central) and the local Calvary Church, to be broadcast on an evangelical Christian radio station (M88), as part of a series they were doing called "War of the World Views:Civilizations in Collision". Let's just say that the title didn't inspire confidence on the part of my fellows . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10222006.htm Sun, 22 Oct 2006 23:00:00 -0700 Pagan Wicca Christianity religion Samhain Halloween theology Goddess Bless Crooks and Liars! By Athena and Hecate, what a great and useful site! There are some folks out there in the political realm who deserve a metaphorical spear run through them, and this is the site willing to oblige . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10162006.htm Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:47:00 -0700 humour politics I may now pronounce you legally dead. Having spent the afternoon taking a class on the ins and outs of pronouncing someone dead in their home, I have been officially deputized as a Deputy Medical Investigator Designate by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10122006b.htm Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:06:00 -0700 death and dying medical investigation hospice nursing Lists, lists, lists. Very funny list from Rhea at Discourse from a Demiurgic: 20 Signs That, Sadly, You've Grown Up 1. Your house plants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10122006.htm Thu, 12 Oct 2006 07:43:00 -0700 humour aging Foley nursing Happy Coming Out Day! The Human Rights Campaign helps celebrate the day by releasing a “first-of-its-kind Straight Guide to GLBT Americans”. I remember my struggles with coming out all too well. Many, if not most of the queer folk I know faced challenges, and it is my fervent hope that future generations will not face the pain and social challenges that so many of us did . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10112006.htm Wed, 11 Oct 2006 22:01:00 -0700 coming out gay Republican politics More Queer stuff. I’ve been meaning to post on this for a few days, and once again there is just not enough time to get everything done. Back home in Canada, the Tories seem determined (in a sort of non-unified kind of way) to reverse history and close the door on same-sex marriage in Canada . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10102006.htm Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:51:00 -0700 conservative gay Republican politics same-sex marriage Tie-dye and spiritual health. Didn't have a chance to post anything yesterday, as Shara and I attended a seminar on spirituality and health sponsored by Presbyterian Health Services Department of Chaplaincy Services. Entitled "Suffering with Life-Limiting Illnesses: The Compassionate Response", it featured Dr. April Volk and Beth Corbin-Hsi, RN . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10072006.htm Sat, 07 Oct 2006 14:14:00 -0700 spiritual health care family It's all the media's fault. And the Democrats. Well, here I was yesterday, saying how I had decided to fly against my better judgment and post something (indirectly) on the Foley scandal. It was prompted by the outrageous slander heaped on the gay population at large by Paul M. Weyrich. Now that I’ve put myself on that slippery slope, I am going to risk sliding feet first into the abyss . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10052006.htm Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:54:00 -0700 Foley gay politics People will say the damndest things . . . Quote of the day: NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman, writing on the failure of the Bush admin, their Iraq policy, and the much impoverished state of current federal American politics: You know how they say that after a while people start to look like their pets? Well, we're starting to look like Iraq -- a bunch of warring political tribes incapable of acting in common for the greater good . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10042006b.htm Wed, 04 Oct 2006 22:37:00 -0700 Foley gay Republican politics An unstable economy? D'ya think? I've written about this before, but here I go again: I'm pretty concerned that the US (and therefore world) economy is going to take a big hit soon. This op-ed piece by Professor Joseph Stiglitz about the trade imbalance between the US and China, and the uselessness of the International Monetary Fund in dealing with it because the US has veto power (surprise, right?) is enough to make anyone sweat. Add the housing market 'correction' which has fueled the US economy lately, and may get much worse (not that the Fed will say that), and the looming potential for peak oil, and I smell a trifecta . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10042006.htm Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:04:00 -0700 economy IMF trade imbalance Pinhead politicians. So a good friend at work sent me this funny regarding Advance Directives: . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10032006.htm Tue, 03 Oct 2006 20:49:00 -0700 advance directives health care habeas corpus It's a sick, sick, sick world (or at least a sick species). So a good friend at work sent me this funny regarding Advance Directives: . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10022006b.htm Mon, 02 Oct 2006 22:51:00 -0700 environmentalism violence art nudity Still more Pride. Very cool, Calgary held their Pagan Pride Day at the MacEwan Student Centre at UofC. Here’s a shout-out to our friend Mimi of the Witchery, who got her picture in the Gauntlet. It was halfway decent press, but did prompt me to add to my note about dealing with the MSM. http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/10022006.htm Mon, 02 Oct 2006 11:40:00 -0700 religion Paganism Pagan Pride Day Back from Mabon. Just back from our local Mabon celebration, the annual Magickal Mountain Mabon hosted by Chamisa Local Council of the Covenant of the Goddess. What a great time! It is usually a lot of work for me, in part because not only do I help set up and run the Healer’s Tent (a service provided by Silver Moon Health Services) . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/9182006.htm Mon, 18 Sep 2006 19:41:00 -0700 religion Paganism Mabon My little scooter seems so inadequate. Just in case you have been living under a rock, the world is going to run out of oil at some point. Before that point, the world is going to want to consume oil faster than it can be produced, leading to conflict and price increases - this has been called Peak Oil. When is still an open question . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/9142006.htm Thu, 14 Sep 2006 10:05:00 -0700 bicycles electric vehicles peak oil sustainability Cooking the world with gas. There has been a lot of stuff on global warming in the papers lately (or as Lovelock calls it, “global heating”), including an unfortunate piece by Margaret Wente in the Globe and Mail about the need for adaptation, rather than change. I say unfortunate because there is a strong element of truth to what she says. She's not the only one saying it . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/9122006.htm Tue, 12 Sep 2006 08:11:00 -0700 global warming climate change Gaia theory environmentalism 9/11 - 5 years later. Needless to say, the news has been drenched with “Eau d’ 9/11”. I could do without the yammering of the politicians, most of whom I have less and less use for (keep to mind this is coming from someone who has been a politician), but have been very moved by the remembrances of those who lost someone in the attacks. I remember exactly where I was when I heard . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/9112006.htm Mon, 11 Sep 2006 19:44:00 -0700 9/11 Pride and remembrance. Today was a busy day for me in my priest hat. We held our annual Pagan Pride Day (part of an international movement) here in Albuquerque, an all-day event in Bataan Park on Lomas. Very ably organized by Michelle Cassena and sponsored by Coyote Willow CUUPS, it was easily the largest we’ve ever had . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/9102006.htm Sun, 10 Sep 2006 22:28:00 -0700 religion Paganism Pagan Pride Day Wow - we're on Witchcraft Radio! While visiting my folks in Calgary, we spent today bopping around town on public transit checking our the local metaphysical stores. We happened into one called The Witchery, and found out that a friend of the owner runs a webstreaming podcast called "Witchcraft Radio" . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/6062006.htm Tue, 06 Jun 2006 23:15:00 -0700 religion podcast Wicca Interview with a Sophian Gnostic bishop. If you have been following the "DaVinci Code" thing, or gone to see the movie, you might be interested in this facinating interview with a real Gnostic Christian. I found it facinating, and it reminds me of a book I read a while ago called "Jesus and the Lost Goddess" . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/5222006.htm Mon, 22 May 2006 21:13:00 -0700 religion Christianity Gnosticism Creeping to the end of the death penalty? We can at least hope so. Amnesty International announced that the number of state sanctioned executions fell by more than a third in 2005 compared to 2004, according to a Globe and Mail report. It is a very positive trend, IMHO, although of course there are those who would vehemently disagree and say that A.I. and myself were trampling on the victims of crime to coddle criminals . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/4202006.htm Thu, 20 Apr 2006 20:38:00 -0700 news crime opinion Paying the true cost. So, here is a great article in the Globe and Mail about horse logging and how it limits the damage done to the forest, including by reducing the need for road building. They are being hampered by an overly warm winter (gee, I wonder where that came from?) . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/3062006.htm Mon, 06 Mar 2006 16:07:00 -0700 environmental Canada Back in the saddle. So, it looks like the hiatus is over. I won't have the time to keep up with my blog like I did when I was in school full time and so had a very flexible schedule, but I am going to try to put something up once a week or so. I am going to focus more on improving and expanding the pages on this site . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/3032006.htm Fri, 03 Mar 2006 15:18:00 -0700 blogging podcast personal Tough time in the ol' sandbox. Well, I've been out of circulation for a long time. When I took my LOA from UCSF and moved back to Albuquerque, I had thought that I would at least keep up with my blog, and perhaps post the odd thing on my other pages (it's not like I haven't been writing stuff to post, I have a list a mile long), but there is just never any time, it seems, to actually sit down, put it on a page, and upload it . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2006/3022006.htm Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:55:00 -0700 blogging community conflict personal Deep Impact plays billiards. On an 83 million mile table, no less. That's what I call a tough shot . . . http://www.thuntek.net/%7esclamont/blog/archive/2005/7042005.htm Sat, 04 Jul 2005 00:45:00 -0700 science news Same-sex marriage a done deal in Canada and Spain. So, to no one's surprise the Canadian House of Commons has passed a bill C-38, which will legalize same-sex marriage throughout the country (overriding holdouts like Alberta, my home province, sort of our version of Texas except it looks more like Montana). The Conservatives, of course, want to overturn it if they ever become the government (Goddess forbid!) . . . http://www.thuntek.net/%7esclamont/blog/archive/2005/6292005.htm Sat, 29 Jun 2005 10:28:00 -0700 GLBTIQ/queer politics Canada same-sex marriage Solstice blessings. So, I finally realized that my Litha decorations were not up on the site, and the solstice is only a couple of days away, so I got something posted (I need a better graphic for Litha, though, if you know of one, e-mail me). We are busy with the girl, who is just a delight, as usual. It is amazing how much she changes in the few short weeks . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6182005.htm Sat, 18 Jun 2005 08:41:00 -0700 Spiritual Family Pissy about the whole Medicare thing. The long knives have come out for Medicare back home. The majority of people who wrote into the Calgary Herald's "Sound Off" forum on-line were way too pleased with the ruling for my taste, but the ones comparing Canada to North Korea and Cuba were more that I could tolerate . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6172005b.htm Fri, 17 Jun 2005 21:55:00 -0700 Politics Canada Health Care Traveling headlines. So, I'm flying back to New Mexico for the weekend to celebrate the Solstice with my family and enjoy my second Father's Day as dad (I'm typing this somewhere high above the Arizona desert). Due to circumstances beyond my control, I wound out with an actual hard copy of the SF Chronicle . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6172005.htm Fri, 17 Jun 2005 13:23:00 -0700 Politics USA Humour On the queer front. Alright, I admit to being on a humour streak. I can't even remember where I found this link, but it looked funny, so there I went. Some of it is old, some silly, some mean, but some definitely funny (WARNING: Republicans will not find any part of this site funny) . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6162005b.htm Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:04:00 -0800 Politics USA Humour "Conservo-speak" and other Right jabs. Alright, I admit to being on a humour streak. I can't even remember where I found this link, but it looked funny, so there I went. Some of it is old, some silly, some mean, but some definitely funny (WARNING: Republicans will not find any part of this site funny) . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6162005.htm Thu, 16 Jun 2005 19:58:00 -0800 Politics USA Humour Pegged. No, not THAT 'pegged', but just as amusing, as in 'nailed' (no, not THAT 'nailed', get your mind out of the bloody gutter for a minute, would you?), as in 'she has my number' . . . oh, never mind. A picture is worth a thousand misinterpreted words . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6152005b.htm Wed, 15 Jun 2005 22:54:00 -0800 Geek Podcast Blogging Humour Not the best news. On the science and environmental front, several headlines I've seen in the past few days are not what you would call uplifting . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6152005.htm Wed, 15 Jun 2005 15:38:00 -0800 News Environmental Science At least someone out there is paying attention. But not in the US. At least, not in the US MSM, with the lonely exceptions of the Washington Post and the SF Chronicle. In the latter paper, Edward M. Gomez reports what the media elsewhere on the planet have to say about the New 'Downing Street Memo' and the deteriorating situation in Iraq . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6142005.htm Tue, 14 Jun 2005 22:44:00 -0800 Iraq war Politics USA Podcast fixed, blog limping along. I've gotten the first .mp3 file rendered for my podcast and successfully uploaded and tested it. It only took about a month longer than I thought, chipping away during spare moments. The second and third should follow anytime now. In the process I've delved the mysteries of . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6122005.htm Sun, 12 Jun 2005 23:50:00 -0800 Blogging Podcast Geek CDN Supremes kick Medicare right in the privates. For those of you living under a rock, the Canadian Supreme Court has sided with a physician from Quebec regarding private payment for health care in that province . . . http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/6102005.htm Fri, 10 Jun 2005 21:36:00 -0800 News Nursing Health Care Politics Canada Leaving the Left - with tongue firmly in cheek. Why I'm joining the GOP: Leaving the left for fun and profit, by Jeff Gillenkirk. After reading this, I may have to defect too - my bank account could use some shoring up. Maybe I can sell my soul and claim a capital gains exemption. http://www.thuntek.net/~sclamont/blog/archive/2005/5292005.htm Thu, 29 May 2005 22:12:00 -0800 Humour Politics USA