Do you know who won the Oscar this year for achievement in film editing? Well, of course you don't. Neither do I.  (Okay, now I do.) Though editors rarely receive their props, they are an integral and crucial aspect of any film piece. Editors are often responsible for the visceral "feel" within a film. This comes via attention to timing, placement, and juxtaposition alongside the dialogue and soundtrack. Endless hours of footage are sifted through and perfectly placed in order to create the perfect moment. There is no question its validity as an art form.

Oppression. It has defined various people groups and individuals throughout history. It is derived from the very idea of being "pressed" or pushed upon - the precursory act to being burdened or weighed down. It aspires through power over the powerless. Its reality goes against our very being.

Liberation. It coexists with its adversary. It embodies effort, release, and freedom. Its yearning is ever present.

Ness. "Ness" is the Hebraic term for miracle. Immersed between the realities of oppression and liberation, "ness" exists as both a desire and a possibility. A word in which its very meaning gives hope a reality.

The best-selling author Marcus Buckingham has made a career out of telling people they should work from their strengths - figure out what you are good at and work hard to spend most of your time doing those things.

While I doubt Ben Harper or any of his Innocent Criminal friends have been paging through business books at Borders lately, they are certainly living Buckingham Logic with their latest effort Lifeline. Songs that call you to action, encourage you to live & love, and all around great grooves fill this August release. I only wish it came out earlier for us mid-westerners so we could have listened to it while drinking beer out on our decks on a warm summer night with friends - this is the chill mood the sounds quickly create.