- An Instinct to Swarm

Emily recommends this article from the New York Times:

From Ants to People, an Instinct to Swarm
By CARL ZIMMER
Researchers are discovering simple rules that allow thousands of animals to form a collective brain able to make decisions and move like a single organism. 

- Lesbian soldier killed in Afghanistan

Ciara Durkin, an Army National Guard member from Massachusetts, died from a ‘noncombat-related’ gunshot wound to the head in a secure area of Bagram Base in Afghanistan.

Before her death, she had alerted family to investigate if something happened to her.

She was the first openly gay soldier killed in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Read the Boston Globe article about her funeral service by clicking here.

Supporting our troops means all of them – even our homosexual soldiers.

- Pictures from Peace Week 2007!

Check out our page of pictures and reflections from PSR’s Peace Week 2007 by clicking here.

- Peace Week Events!

Peace Week at the Pacific School of Religion
September 17-21, 2007

Coordinated by PSR students and PSR Peace Particles
(Seminarians to End War and Sow Peace, a.k.a. SEW Peace)
All events are free and open to the public.
For more information, please contact sewpeace <at> gmail.com.

Schedule of Events for Education, Witness, and Action

All Week Growing Art Piece on PSR Quad

Monday

12:30 pm – Mudd Building Consecration of the Art, with music and free peace T-shirts

Tuesday
PSR Chapel Service 11:10 am, PSR Chapel — Luke 16:1-13, “Drop the Debt, not Bombs” – Robyn Morrison, preaching

Wednesday
Taize Worship 7:30 pm, PSR Chapel

Thursday
Healing Prayer Worship Service 6:30 pm, PSR Chapel — Psalm 79

Thursday-Friday
24-Hour Peace Pray-in Buckham Chapel – 6:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Friday – International Day of Prayer for Peace
Peace Teach-in – all workshops take place in the Mudd Building
10:30 am – Workshops:
1. Pastoral Care for Veterans, with VA Hospital Chaplain Carolyn Talmadge
2. Peace for Israel and Palestine, with the Network of Spiritual Progressives’ Nichola Torbett
3. Rebecca Ann Parker sermon, “Theological Education in a Time of Wars,” podcast and discussion
1:30 pm – Workshops:
1. Veterans for Peace, with Ted Arrindal and other PSR veterans
2. Creative Writing for Peace, led by Christina Hutchins
3. ENGAGE Training, with Pace e Bene trainers Ryan Baum and Robyn Morrison (session runs 1:30-4:30 pm)
3:00 pm – Workshops:
1. Peace Pilgrim – movies and discussion, led by Sheryl Butler
2. “Ground Truth” – movie about the Iraq war, hosted by James Leveque

Public Panel 6:30 pm – PSR Bade Museum, “Resisting Imperial Peace: Theological Reflections”

Worship Service 8:30 pm – PSR Quad, Preaching by Lynice Pinkard of First Congregational Church of Oakland, “There is a Balm in Gilead”
Party for the Peaceful 9:30 pm – Mudd 100

- New Film Resource About Soldiers Who ‘Disobey’…

… or obey a higher calling, that is.

Ian Slattery, the Associate Producer of this film, got in touch with us about how to connect his film and our peace week. It sounds like some interesting stuff:

“Hi SEW folks!

I’m contacting you about our documentary film, SOLDIERS OF CONSCIENCE, and your Peace Week. Here’s a link to our 2-minute trailer: http://www.socfilm.com

We’re local – based in North Berkeley – and would love to share some info about our film with folks gathered at your events. For instance, we have two upcoming screenings of the film at the Mill Valley Film Festival. In addition, we’re always seeking to build relationships with faith leaders of all denominations in order to make the film available as a useful resource for religious communities across the country.

Many thanks for the work you are doing – and for considering this request!”

+ H i P – H o P 4 Peace +

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjVT-SKAxUs

K-OS

“Love Song” (lyrics below)

Contrary to popular belief, know what yo
This is not a lovesong
It’s a sonnett
Damn it feels good to have people up on it bu
I’m just a fool playing with the masters tools
Learning how to break the rules of this record company tool
Hallucination – I see with my eyes
But my heart’s telling me lies
Why do I fantisize?
Why am I telling lies to the people from the stage
Pretending it’s all good when inside it’s fire and rage
Cuz I can’t understand how a man lives off the life of another man
Tryin to pimp the universe – that’s a joke
I stay rockin the boat down on my last note
It’s murder she wrote
Assassination vocabulary
I see your termination is heavily necessary
I should have known – they do it for Forbes alone
I do it to break the walls if I fall off then let me know people

CHORUS
It’s funny how life can go
First you ride high then you might lay low
Don’t get high off your own supply
Someone said first before a fall comes pride
This is my message to the world
Just tryin to reach every boy and girl
Not tryin to say if it’s right or wrong
This is just a love song

Lyrical optometrists with 20/20 vision
Are serving rhymes like my granny used to serve provisions
Chaotical amneotical fluid
The rap druid is fluent in the art of onomatopoeia
Metaphysical microscopic topic dropper
When I was a kid I wanted rollerskates and a bike chopper
But alas, pop, pop never thought to keep me in style
Thats why I’m schizophrenic now
So God bless the child that has his own
The harvest we reap is what we sow
Chrome microphone – shoot it
Towards a dome of computer digital clones that mimic philosopher stones
Sayin a style’s their own when they bite like Mike Furounsville
The sounds ill
Relationship is a mirror
That you see yourself up in and the picture is clearer
Thats why I’m on the scene with a mike like Ernesto Guevara
Why I may exploit with lights like Geraldo Rivera, they just.

CHORUS(again)

It’s easy not to care what people say
It’s harder to pretend and try
Cuz they can only love you from yesterday
I’m looking at them now they pose high
I’m just a man who’s walking
They stand around and keep talking
They tried to clip my wings
But wisdom fills so many things
Say it again
I’m just a man who’s walking
They stand around and keep talking
They tried to clip my wings
But wisdom fills so many things
In LOVE (Fading)
It’s funny how life can go
Dont get high off your own supply
This is my message to the world…