Archive for October, 2006
Bill Cosby Dishing Out Tongue Lashings
Monday, October 30th, 2006Well, some people aren’t happy about the Cos’ getting all accusatory and whatnot, but it seems to me that it is time that the hoary heads of the world start lecturing the younguns–unless you think they’re the problem to begin with.
Gizmodo: "Who Needs to Retire, When You Can Grow Senile in Front of a Telly Like This?"
Monday, October 30th, 2006Good question. Answer it here.
Religion in Politics
Monday, October 30th, 2006I might live in Texas, but I’m a Mid-Westerner by birth. Growing up, we didn’t talk about religion much. In fact, the two religious conversations I had in High School were with evangelicals intent on damning everyone to hell who “hadn’t accepted Jesus in their hearts”. As a non-evangelical, yet quiet, Christian, I politely disagreed. Okay, not so politely. One girl who asked me, “Are you saved?” got the response, “From what?” That cheeky comment earned me a you-can’t-save-’em-all sigh and withering look.
In Michigan, religion just didn’t come up in polite conversation. Everything, including God, is bigger in Texas. In Texas, we’ve been asked, before treating patients, “Have you accepted Jesus?” This question irks me. Does it matter? I mean, good grief, if the world’s best brain surgeon was a fire-breathing Atheist (okay, morose, nihilistic Atheist, but you know what I mean) would you refrain from the surgery for religious reasons? That’s just stupid. Ditto sexual orientation. Ditto political orientation.
When it comes to politicians, I don’t want to hear about whether they fear or love Jesus. Shut up, you! The best Christians walk the walk, and let their walk display their beliefs. So now, Harold Ford Jr. is babbling about his relationship with Je-zusss. Yuck. He is talking about how Republican’s fear the Lord, they don’t combine their fear and their love. Oh, please. Now he’s a theologian and sociology scholar deconstructing Republican’s views on God?
I voted for Bush. Twice. Don’t apologize for it. Don’t care that he’s a born-again Christian. When he said that his favorite philosopher was Jesus, I inwardly groaned. First, I don’t really consider Jesus a philosopher, but I get what he meant. Second, the idiot reporter was obviously trying to trap Bush and make him look stupid. See, this guy’s never read a book in his life. He thinks Plato is something you make spaghetti hair with. Huh-huh. Huh-huh.
Obviously, the aforementioned politicians believe that their religious beliefs get them votes. Let me rephrase that. These politicians believe that talking religion or acting religious gets them votes. Note Hillary’s boldly displayed cross (puh-leeze). Note Ford’s waxing elephant about Jesus.
All I’m saying, and this might be a Mid-Western thing, is that I distrust people who have to tell me how religious they are–politician, friend or anyone else, for that matter. I’m still not all that comfortable with people saying “Jesus this” or “Jesus that”, like he’s sitting at the next table drinking a mocha latte. My concern in America today is that people “have the form of godliness but deny its power.”
I’m interested in substance. If you’re gonna talk, politicians, tell me what your plans are when you get to the Senate. If Jesus ain’t your co-pilot, we’ll see soon enough.
***********************
And for your information, here’s the rest of the quote from 2 Timothy 3:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God–having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Is there a better description of America today?
Cell Phones
Monday, October 30th, 2006Hi all, in the midst of a world gone mad, today I ponder the mundane: cell phones. My Sprint contract expires in November and my phone is a modern mechanical messed up marvel. I need a new one and I need help.
I want, yea, verily have lusted for lo, these two years, one of these. Should I buy it for the low, low price of $49.95 with a Cingular contract?
Women Make the Decisions: Why Not Ask Them What They Want?
Monday, October 30th, 2006For all the progress of the Women’s Movement, only in the last few years have marketers, retailers and designers taken a woman’s opinion into account. For example, and this problem has yet to be resolved, washers and dryers are ridiculous. They make you bend over and lug stuff out. They make you bend over and load things in. The laundry soap is high up on a shelf that one must navigate around the machines to get. It is a ergonomic nightmare.
If the washer and dryer manufacturers had just asked me, they’d make a boat load more money. Also, since we’re on the topic, make washers simpler, so children can use them. I’m trying to raise responsible kids, but they couldn’t do their own laundry if I wanted them to, they are too short.
Well, we’ve come a long way baby, the world is waking up to woman power since women drive 80% of purchases. Now, they not only control the family’s pocketbook, they control their own. Finally, the world takes notice.
Men Literally Feminized
Sunday, October 29th, 2006Testosterone levels drop among all American men according to the latest research. Some people will rejoice at this news. Others, will get all weepy and call their massage therapists.
It’s the literal neuterization people. You heard about it here first.
Nuclear Bunkers Back in Vogue
Sunday, October 29th, 2006You know, I’m just wondering if it isn’t time to explore nuclear bunkers here in the United States. They are doing it in Israel:
AMID mounting fears that Iran is planning to obliterate their country, wealthy Israelis are shelling out on underground nuclear shelters in the gardens of their luxury homes.The shelters, which cost at least £60,000 for a bargain-basement version, are built to withstand radioactive fallout, have fortified walls and doors and generate their own electricity and decontaminated air. Defence experts estimate that hundreds of such bunkers, many fitted with all modern conveniences such as bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms, have already been built in private homes across the country and demand is soaring.
I’m reading the book Standing with Israel by David Brog, and he notes a Netherlands (I think) family who saved over 700 Jews by building a safe room, escape in their house years before Hitler rose to power. Actually the future Furer was sitting in a prison cell, but this family saw the writing on the wall. They paid for their foresight with their lives when they were finally caught, but before then, they saved many lives.
The Mormons, members of the Church of Latter Day Saints (they oppose the term “Mormons”, but it is a description most people recognize), plan for a dire future in a myriad of ways–stocked up food, survivalist training, etc.
After the hurricanes, it became patently obvious to me that my family is soft. We don’t hunt. We don’t have survival equipment. We don’t have much of anything that would save our hide in a time of need.
The time to have flood insurance isn’t when a flood comes. The time to have flood insurance is before hand. The Israelis rightly distrust their government’s ability to protect them. Can we Americans trust our government? I think we’re better served if we don’t.
So, when do we build the bunker?
Seasonal Affect Disorder
Sunday, October 29th, 2006Hi, my name is Melissa and I’m S.A.D. To some of you, that won’t be ground-breaking news. I have always suffered with Seasonal Affect Disorder. Being a former Michigander, I suffered. A lot. The darkness, the gray, the sludge and snow, the shortened days that last for months in Michigan made for a miserable me.
When I moved to California, it was absolutely stunning to see the sun shine so consistently. I would marvel to friends, “Doesn’t it seem weird that it never rains? No wonder people are so weird out here.” After a year, it didn’t seem weird. It seemed wonderful. Still, I’d have a couple days of sadness around February sun or rain.
Dr. Helen reports her suffering with S.A.D. She asks if everyone even believes it’s a real thing. Psychosomatic or not, the feelings are real. Some people at her blog recommend a complicated array of lighting–especially first thing in the morning.
The best recommendation, one that I concur with, is taking Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Plus, those will help Dr. Helen’s weak heart. Omega-3s are fish oils and are especially rich in Sushi. As a Sushi lover, that’s good news. Or, for those who like to take their medicine straight: two tablespoons of cod liver oil, morning and night, should do the trick. They have some now that doesn’t taste so bad.
How do you know if you’re low in Omega-3s? One way: you easily burn in the summer sun (never getting a tan, going straight to red). Another way, you suffer with cramping around your period and during athletic endeavors.
Get in the sunshine, get your Omega 3s, surround yourself with light–especially first thing in the morning and move South (hey, it worked for me). S.A.D. solved!
Hung by the Polls
Saturday, October 28th, 2006A few weeks ago, while listening to the blather and reading the drivel about how the Democrats were twenty points up everywhere, I thought to myself, “Self, these polls are bogus. The press is one big Democratic machine.” The Democrats were going to win, Win, WIN blared the talking heads! I hate the press.
Then the Foley thing happened and I hated the press worse. A little-known Republican closeted gay dude gets outed by people who love gay people–as opposed to Republicans who hate gay people–for sending smarmy emails to pages. Yuck and puhleeze.
Then, wonder of wonders, polls started tightening up. Who are these pollsters calling? Are they even reaching likely Republican voters? Voters like me don’t answer the phone from unknown phone numbers. Heck, my friends get p.o.’d ‘cuz I don’t answer the phone from known numbers.
My brother says that people answering the phones and saying “Ahm uh Democrat” will say anything, complain and then not manage the energy to actually go to the poll and vote. Conversely, I say, that while Republicans might not answer the phones, they actually vote.
This election will make one thing clear: the Pollsters are full of crap and should be ignored.
Or, some people think the Democrats are so confident because they have a massive voter fraud scheme cooked up. We’ll see.
Lorie Byrd Advice to Speaker of the House Hopeful Pelosi
Saturday, October 28th, 2006What would the Democrats do without the MSM? What if, (big breath) the press were actually fair and balanced?
Lorie Byrd (courtesy The Anchoress) talks about the climate in the dramatic week before the election.
Before you go over there, here’s my prediction: the Republicans hold the House and Senate, barely.
