October 31, 2007 by Jeremy.

I’m not sure what common sense thought can be taken from this. There might not be any common sense involved at all. I’ll let you decide.

Methodist Council Allows Transgendered Minister to Keep Job

BERKELEY, Calif. —  A council of the United Methodist Church has decided to allow a transgender minister to retain his job, but it stopped short of addressing whether a change of gender violates the denomination’s rules.

At a session over the weekend in San Francisco, the United Methodist Judicial Council considered whether to remove the Rev. Drew Phoenix from his post. The council allowed Phoenix to stay on the job, referring to a church policy stating that a clergyperson in good standing can’t be terminated unless there has been administrative or judicial action, according to the ruling, posted on the church’s Web site.

“The adjective placed in front of the noun ‘clergyperson’ does not matter,” the council ruled. “What matters is that clergypersons, once ordained and admitted to membership in full connection, cannot have that standing changed without being accorded fair process.”

In a related ruling, the council said all name changes should be treated the same regardless of the reason.

Phoenix, who learned of the ruling Tuesday, said he was “happily surprised.”

Before undergoing surgery and hormone therapy, Phoenix spent five years as minister at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Baltimore as the Rev. Ann Gordon.

Phoenix was reappointed this spring by Bishop John Schol of the Methodists’ Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference, who noted that the denomination’s Book of Discipline said nothing about transgender clergy.

The United Methodist Church bars appointing “practicing” gay clergy and does not support same-sex unions. The issue of whether the church can have a transgender minister may yet be addressed by the church’s legislative body, which meets next spring in Fort Worth, Texas.

Phoenix said he has sometimes been discouraged by negative reaction to his status but thinks that staying on the job is a way to change minds.

“I’ve always been hopeful that the church will open its doors more and be more inclusive of the community, and I believe that happens when those of us that are in that community just keep showing up,” he said.

The judicial council met without its president, surgeon general nominee James Holsinger.

Holsinger, a Kentucky doctor who has been criticized by gay rights groups for such things as a 1991 paper in which he says gay sex was unnatural and unhealthy, bowed out of the meeting, saying his nomination could become a distraction.

 
I’m really at a loss for words…

Posted in Religion, Jeremy, Coherent Thoughts | Print | 2 Comments »

October 29, 2007 by Jeremy.

While CT is not ready to officially endorse a candidate since there are so many in the race and we have some time to get to know them a little better. I (with no endorsement from the other Authors of CT) would like to mention a couple of candidates at this time though.

I think at this time that these two are a couple of Common Sense guys that are worth taking a look at for President.

What are your thoughts? Should CT be looking at someone else?

Posted in Jeremy, Coherent Thoughts, Politics | Print | 1 Comment »

October 25, 2007 by Jeremy.

Well the site has undergone some decorative changes and it is totally feng shui now! So what do you think? Do you like the changes or do you prefer the old look. Personally I like it and since I pay the bills around here I guess that makes it my decision. That’s just plain Common Sense right there.

So enjoy the new look and if you don’t like it feel free to complain about it here.

Posted in Site News, Jeremy | Print | 2 Comments »

October 24, 2007 by Jeremy.

We here at CT haven’t talked much about this issue and that is mainly because the whole event seems blown out of proportion and the media outlets are all saying the same thing. When I came across an article from a local reporter whose wife actually teaches at the school I figured I should hear what he had to say.

By now, almost everyone in America has heard of Jena, La., because they’ve all heard the story of the “Jena 6.” White students hanging nooses barely punished, a schoolyard fight, excessive punishment for the six black attackers, racist local officials, public outrage and protests – the outside media made sure everyone knew the basics.

There’s just one problem: The media got most of the basics wrong. In fact, I have never before witnessed such a disgrace in professional journalism. Myths replaced facts, and journalists abdicated their solemn duty to investigate every claim because they were seduced by a powerfully appealing but false narrative of racial injustice.

I should know. I live in Jena. My wife has taught at Jena High School for many years. And most important, I am probably the only reporter who has covered these events from the very beginning.

Media Myths About The Jena 6

So I thought this was an interesting story with some information you’re not getting from most of the media. The mainstream media likes the racial conflict because people like to watch when things are going wrong. So take a look at what’s really going on with the Jena 6 situation and think about it with some Common Sense.

Posted in Jeremy, Coherent Thoughts, Current Events | Print | 2 Comments »

October 10, 2007 by Jeremy.

That’s what will happen if the UAW continues to have its way. READ THIS to see why that is. In a day and age where the global market is increasing and competition amongst industry competitors is increasing the UAW could drive the American auto-makers out of business. That’s why the companies like GM and FORD are having such financial problems.

If these companies and the UAW would look at things from a Common Sense perspective just like we’ve done here at Coherent Thought when we took a look at  Driving to Extinction & Look For The Union Label they would see where this fight takes our American auto industry.

So now we see these UAW workers on strike because they apparently think they need something more.

Five Facts Surrounding the Chrysler, UAW Negotiations

The negotiations follow a watershed deal last month between the union and General Motors Corp. allowing the No. 1 U.S. automaker to hire lower-cost workers and step away from a $50-billion obligation to pay for retiree health care.

Here are five facts about the negotiations between Chrysler and the UAW, the second stage in a round of contract talks seen as crucial to the turnaround efforts of the troubled U.S. auto industry:

-The UAW’s past contract with Chrysler expired at 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The union has told its local bargaining units to organize pickets unless negotiators in Detroit call off a strike scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

-Chrysler, now owned by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, is looking to cut its hourly labor costs, which rank as the highest in the industry. Chrysler puts its average cost of paying wages and benefits to a UAW-represented worker at $76 per hour, compared with $48 for industry-leader Toyota Motor Corp.

-Under Cerberus, Chrysler is focused on cash flow and has looked to shed assets, including parts and trucking operations. For its part, the UAW has indicated it wants to see job security guarantees linked to Chrysler’s commitment to U.S. production over the next four years.

-A UAW strike against Chrysler would idle operations at 25 major plants in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri. A strike also has the potential to shutter production at the automaker’s facilities in Canada and Mexico as parts shortages develop.

-Chrysler had a 71-day supply of vehicles in inventory at end-September, seen as enough to ride out a strike of several weeks. Analysts have said dealers could start to run out of newer and more popular models more quickly, including the Jeep Wrangler and Chrysler’s just-launched minivans.

Use Common Sense and tell the UAW you’ve had enough!

Posted in Workers Unions, Jeremy, Coherent Thoughts | Print | No Comments »

October 9, 2007 by Jeremy.

Court Identifies Eleven Inaccuracies in Al Gore’s ‘An Inconvenient Truth’

That is all…

Posted in Global Warming, Jeremy, Coherent Thoughts | Print | 2 Comments »

October 1, 2007 by Jeremy.

UAW Agreement May Shut Down 2 GM Plant

The moves are the downside of job security pledges that the UAW won in the negotiations, including commitments for new products at 16 plants.

This is a hot topic for so many Americans because so many of us are members of a Union. I am not, so I suppose I may be biased. In my experience though, with friends and family the Union has little merit in today’s workforce and I do speak from a professional opinion as I am a Career & Employment Specialist for DOL.

The Union had a place in society in the past as the conditions in so many jobs were not good for the workers, but there are more than enough OSHA laws on the books to keep that from being a problem any more. It seems to me that the only ones that benefit any more are the Union leaders and officials.

I guess the Common Sense thing for me is that if you feel you need more money or a better job - Go find a new one!

Posted in Workers Unions, Jeremy, Coherent Thoughts | Print | 3 Comments »