Friday, January 30, 2004


Which Angel would you be?
By
Angel



  • My #1 result for the SelectSmart.com selector, Which herb are you?, is belladonna



  • My #1 result for the SelectSmart.com selector, If You Were A Flower, What Kind Would You Be?, is Lotus - Deep, thoughtful. Ahhhh. You are thoughtful and reflective. You can daydream sometimes, but not as much a the Stargazer Lily. Most likely you get pretty good grades with all that reflecting and pondering.


  • Thursday, January 29, 2004

    Chicken Blogging

    It's tough to be a coward.

    There's something I've dreamed about doing, but never really thought I could. But now I could have the opportunity to at least try if I move fairly quickly. I don't know if I can, or really want to, or just think I want to.

    I've always been a complete physical coward, you get that way after long years of complete uncoordination and tripping over your own feet. But - but - but

    I don't know what to do.

    Wednesday, January 28, 2004

    Of course, all the cool people have already read Dave Workman's Op-Ed on background checks.

    "Gun owners have been told in patronizing terms that "If it saves the life of one child," they must be willing to submit to insidious, guilty-until-proven-innocent requirements to exercise a right. Perhaps the ACLU and millions of offended airline travelers ought to be reminded that "If it saves one high rise building or a plane load of passengers" they ought to also just shut up, sit back, enjoy the wand rape, and allow the airlines to snoop into their private lives.

    Or, perhaps we ought to get together and change things. "

    via Pervasive Light and
    Coyote at the Dog Show and Lay Line.

    You've probably also seen the President, the Press, and the Nothin' Fancy Cafe, with excellent commentary from the Logic Monkey.

    Dances With Aliens



    How Would YOU Take Over the World?



    I will pit my aliens against Candy's bunnies any day!

    Tuesday, January 27, 2004

    Scary Stuff

    Random Nuclear Strikes, or possibly Soft Green Glow, or whatever this site is now calling itself, has a link about a truly disgusting 'incident' by a truly despicable subhuman asshole.

    How to protect freedom of speech? Why, by tackling speakers and throwing them on the ground, of course!! If you're rich enough, and famous enough, you can assault people! You will not be arrested, nor will officious cops tell you 'you should have called 911 and left it to professionals', AND newspapers will refer to your assault on an innocent human being as a 'scuffle,' and the media will be more concerned about your spectacles than the well-being of the person attacked. In fact, the assaulted will be utterly ignored in the news.

    {spit}. I did mention I will never, never, never ever vote democrat again, right?

    Three Cheers! for Kazuhiro Sasaki, a real man.

    Sasaki had hoped to rebound next season and finish his career with Seattle, but ultimately placed his family first.

    Congratulations, Mr. Sasaki. I had no idea that any decent human beings were in professional sports.

    Saturday, January 24, 2004

    Granting Shriv'ness to God

    What! From this sorry creature be repaid
    pure gold for what He lent us, dross allayed
    Sued for a debt we never did contract, and cannot answer
    O, the sorry trade!

    Oh, Thou, who didst with Pitfall and with Gin
    Beset the Road I was to wander in,
    Thou wilt not with Predestination round
    Enmesh me, and impute my Fall to Sin?

    O Thou who man of baser earth didst make
    and even with paradise, create the snake
    for all the sins wherewith the face of man is blackened
    Man's forgiveness give - and take!


    The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam


    "I feel need of shriv'ness, Father - and something else as well."

    "Something else, Mrs. Grales?"

    She leaned close to whisper behind her hand. "I need be giving shriv'ness to Him, as well."

    The priest recoiled slightly. "To whom? I don't understand."

    "Shriv'ness - to Him who made me as I am," she whimpered. But then a slow smile spread her mouth. "I - I never forgave Him for it."

    "Forgive God? How can you - ? He is just, He is Justice, He is Love. How can you say - ?"

    Her eyes pleaded with him. "Mayn't an old turmater woman forgive Him just a little for His Justice? Afor I be asking His shriv'ness on me?"


    A Canticle for Leibowitz

    "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." An old, two-headed tomato woman in a sci-fi novel had it right.

    God is Love, God is Justice - but some of us need to forgive God's perfect and terrible Justice - just a little. Cut us some slack. Life is brutish, nasty and short.

    Mayn't an old tomato woman forgive Him, just a little, before asking forgiveness for herself?

    Yes.

    Yes, darling child of God, let it go . . . .



    Laying a Fleece Before the Lord

    36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
    37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
    38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
    39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
    40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
    "

    Judges 6:36 - 40

    Gideon wasn't very sure of himself and his situation, was he? "God, I know you said I'd beat these guys but howse about I put this fleece out, just to doublecheck?"

    and God answered.

    "Uh, ok, look I'm gonna put this fleece out again, keep it dry this time, okay? Just once more, God, I promise!

    and God answered.

    and Gideon did what he had to do.

    I had to ask God if He existed. I couldn't 'believe' without reason. Many people can, and more power to them. I had to know!! Does God exist? If He does, is He loving, or is an asshole? or does He just not care, and let the chips fall where they may?

    The first question of existence had to be answered before the second could even be considered. So I 'laid a fleece before the Lord.' "Are You there? Are You real? or are you just a made-up crutch? What are You? Where are You? If You're real, prove it. Show me miracles. I'm small change, I don't need anything fancy, just show me. Show me something I can't write off as coincidence."

    & odd things happened. Small, odd things. I believe 2 or 3 happened before I really realized it . . at some point in the day I realized I'd been thinking "hmmm, that's odd" quite a bit. A jacket I'd left in the living room was in the kitchen. A previously empty matchbook had 2 matches in it. I had puzzlement within, but began to sense a growing irritation from outside. "Look, chick, you're pushing it. Don't waste My time."

    oh God.

    So is this objective, measurable, repeatable proof of the existence of God? Absolutely not. If you want to know, you will have to seek Him for yourself.

    I would actually caution a person against taking this particular approach, at least saying don't ask a question if you don't want to hear the answer. Your heart must be open and you must be prepared to live with the answer. Be careful.

    I'm so afraid some smartass will read this and say "Haw haw yuck yuck, hey Beavis, wanna see a miracle?" Such a prayer will not be answered, and may even put a barrier between you and God that will be hard, if not impossible, to tear down. Please be careful. If you don't believe, or don't want to believe, then don't. If you're truly searching, search honestly, inside your own soul and out.

    And remember:
    Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

    Peace

    Friday, January 23, 2004

    A Boon to the Lax!

    The Friday Five - it's about as trivial and dull as can be, but I kinda like it. If nothing else, perusing the FF comment section introduces you to blogs you would not otherwise see.

    Anywho:

    At this moment, what is your favorite...

    1. ...song?
    Greensleeves aka What Child is This?. Whether it's done as a medieval troubador song about unrequited love, or a choral/orchestral song of holy praise, it haunts and soothes me. I've yet to hear a version I don't like.

    2. ...food? Chocolate. Hands down, no contest. Don't even attempt to tell me chocolate isn't a food. People have died for less.

    3. ...tv show? Last of the Summer Wine. As near as I can tell, this is shown only on the occassional local PBS station. It's about 3 old guys in a small village in Northern England with not much to do besides hang out and get into trouble. Love it. I'm using it as an inspiration to plan my retirement.

    4. ...scent? hard one!! lavender, cinnamon, coffee, warm bread, lilacs!! There are lots of good scents in this world!

    5. ...quote? "The beauty of the second amendment is that we won't need it until they try to take it away." attributed to Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to William somebody written in 18something. If anyone can point to the actual source, I would be tickled pink.


    Thursday, January 22, 2004

    I Need Something to Read

    The words I heard most often during childhood and my (thankfully brief) marriage were "There you are with your nose in a book again!"

    Well, yeah. Duh.

    I like mythology and religion quite a bit. A person's religious viewpoint will touch every aspect of life; I like to try to get inside it. The Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Koran, Bhagavad Gita, Tao Te Ching, and my personal favorite, the christian Bible, are all online for free. Other religous books, that so far as I know have to be purchased, include the I Ching and the Popal Vuh.

    I read all of them years ago, cover to cover, except the Koran. I tried to read the Koran several years ago, but it just struck me as nasty. The only other book I picked up and didn't finish was The Autobiography of Moshe Dyan - hopelessly convoluted, at least for a 15 yr old, as I was then.

    Polytheistic religions don't thrill me; their gods are almost invariably tied to a piece of real estate. It's all very well to worship Pe'le (polynesian volcano goddess) if you're actually living next to her volcano, but what if you move to Alaska?

    I can't remember anything now about the Book of the Dead, and next to nothing about the Popol Vuh, except that it says civilization as we know it will end on the winter solstice (Dec 21?) 2012.

    I couldn't wrap my brain around Hinduism and the Bhagavad Gita. To an American, the thought of being helplessly stuck in a position for life is just not on the boards.

    From what little I know of Buddhism, I think I like it. I agree with some scholar or other who stated that Buddha and Christ were alike in the reason they are revered - they made a sacrifice for humanity. Buddha gave up his death and Jesus gave up his life. Interesting switch, with similar intentions although not similar effects. Buddha gave up Nirvana so he could just keep getting reincarnated over & over again, to hang around and teach people how to get to Nirvana. Jesus gave up his earthly life as a substitute for our spiritual deaths. These are powerful and touching acts, whether or not you accept the underlying philosophies.

    The above are all actual religious texts. If you're interested in serious commentary, Joseph Campbell's Myths to Live By is a must-read.

    The above reading matter is not to everyone's taste, and I spread the reading out over a space of several years. I wanted to read these for myself, without exraneous hoopla, and enjoyed them all. The only ones I continue to read are the I Ching and the Bible. Maybe I'll try the Koran again, although I doubt that my attitude will have improved since I first (tried to) read it. Bad things have happened since then, sort of sours the intellectual appetite.

    Cheers,
    Ha Ha Ha!! This is pretty funny - if you're looking for a good chuckle, read the whole thing.

    My darling levitating frog,

    After drinking an infinite quantity of beer unfeasibly quickly, my 'statue of liberty' felt rather queasy - I imagine it even turned green.




    What Video Game Character Are You? I am Pacman.I am Pacman.


    I am an aggressive sort of personality, out to get what I can, when I can. I prefer to avoid confrontation, but sometimes when it's called for, I can be a powerful character. I tend to be afflicted with munchies constantly. What Video Game Character Are You?


    I know, I know . . . a little early for quiz day.

    Toodles

    Wednesday, January 21, 2004

    I Tawt I Taw A Puddy Tat!

    I did! I did! I did see a puddy tat!

    Tweety Bird's happiness, paid for by your tax dollars.

    Go read this

    When I read stuff like this, I really can't help hating the rest of the world.

    bleeeech.

    Update: the following was posted as a response to my comment:

    "while US domestic political issues continue to influence International situations - the economy being joined by, say, a Middle Eastern policy aimed mainly at securing the Jewish vote, or the Cuban embargo solely for the benefit of the Miami diaspora - while this is still the rule, the rest of the world will continue to find it tiresome."

    ho-kay . . every country's domestic polices have the potential to influence international situations. Should US citizens be voting in the UK to reduce their stringent and insane gun control laws? UK's laws are looked to by US gun-grabbers with great glee (never minding that gun violence in the UK is increasing because of those very laws) - so should I be able to vote in the UK? NO, NO, NO. The UK is and will hopefully remain a sovereign nation, EU nothwithstanding.

    Our middle east policy is geared only and solely to get the Jewish vote? WTF? It simply amazes me, and probably amazes Hamas and Hezbollah too, they have repeatedly killed. They have repeatedly stated they want Islamic law throughout the world. They have repeatedly stated they want to eliminate, in this order: (1) jews; (2) christians; (3) hindus; (4) everybody else that's not a muslim; and (5) all the muslims that aren't orthodox enough. Considering the blood already on the hands of Hamas et al, I see no reason to doubt them. Yet repeatedly and consistently, Ben Hammersly & others -many others- cannot get it into their heads. Hamas et all are dangerous!

    The cuban embargo is soley for the benefit of the Miami diaspora? Hello? Castro is not nice, and he has never been nice to the US, and he would nuke us if he could. In any case, the US has the right to not trade wherever it doesn't want to trade, and why this should be any skin off Ben's nose is beyond me.

    If you are even-tempered and articulate, do go there and present some thoughts. I don't think I'm calm, cool and collected enough. Were I dicatator, we would have total isolation and we would have it now. Either that or I'd start collecting tribute from every damn nation that accuses us of imperialism or hegemony. As long as we're getting all the grief, we may as well get the benefits.

    Probably a good thing I'm not a dictator.



    Monday, January 19, 2004

    An Aside
    - or
    Puffed Up With Pride


    This proselytizing/witnessing/evangelizing stuff is dangerous. One nice comment, & I feel like I'm somebody, hot stuff. The cool thing is God knew it was coming.

    Went to church yesterday - I don't usually, but sometimes I do. I have not been baptized, but would like to be. So I talked to the preacher about it after church. I don't want to become a member of any particular church at the moment and am not even set on a preferred denomination, but I would like to be baptized in the presence of other christians. The preacher (baptist) kept harping on the repent and accept Jesus bit, which is important but I've done that. Now I want to be baptized. I couldn't get my point across. This poor preacher so badly wanted to save me. I was tempted to lie and say I was a cocaine-addicted prostitute involved with gun-running just so he could led me to God and have that feather in his cap. It would have made him so happy.
    I left there a little bemused and more than a little frustrated - also unbaptized and nothing scheduled.

    But I don't think there was any harm in the old guy - he just wanted to shine so brightly for the glory of God so badly he couldn't see that fireworks weren't really required at that moment.

    I wouldn't have had that encounter if my battery hadn't failed after church. I wasn't actually planning on talking to the preacher just yet, but since I was stuck there while some very nice church members jiggled my cable, I figured I might as well. God stuck me at church, and highlighted a pitfall that I need to avoid.

    Thanks, God. You know I have lots of pride, so this should help me hopefully keep my ego under control. If not, maybe it will at least help others see one of the problems that can arise when they look to your creatures for guidance. God, help me squash my eqo and where I fail, turn it to Your advantage and protect others from taking my foolishness too seriously. But also God, THANK YOU for the blessing of Serenity and her support. Her questions make me question and I will get closer to You through the knowledge she is forcing me into, plus she's just nice. Lead me not into temptation - deliver me from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the glory, and the power forever.

    It's blooming

    hard

    to post this stuff. It's very personal.

    Gulp.. here goes . .

    Sunday, January 18, 2004

    I want to blog about God but I'm a-scared. It's the weirdest thing, and not like me at all, but I had a strong urge to blog publicly about my path to and with God. I blame it on Serenity; that lady has been asking good, honest questions that deserve good, solid answers.

    Well, I can be honest but goodness and solidity are often beyond my mortal ken. What if I say something about God here that's really stupid or smug? I don't want to turn anyone away from that path thru my own silliness, which I have in abundant supply.

    I'm a mortal, fallible, finite human being. When such a one as myself connects with the immortal and infinite, how can I pretend to 'know-it-all?' How could that portion of Thee that connects with the mortal me be the same immortal portion connecting with another, different, mortal? Bits & pieces, sure, some experiences may coincide, but overall it's a very individual thing.

    So I'll probably be God-blogging, but don't take my word for it. If you have questions about God, take them to God, first and last. Other mortals may provide a helpful guide, but we are fallible and will let you down. I will pray for the Holy Spirit to guide my fingers on the keyboard - do you pray also, to receive what God wants for you and to discard the nonsense.

    That's all for now.

    Cheers



    The Best Sherlock Holmes has gotta be Vasily Livanov, from the Russian TV series 1979 - abt 1982, I think. Ladies, this gentleman is hot. or at least he was in '79.

    You can pick them up sometimes on e-bay. Do a search for Russian Sherlock Holmes. If you get a DVD, make sure it's NTSC format if you live in the US/Canada. PAL format won't work, unless you're a techie genius and have all the doo-dads. If you don't know what NTSC and PAL are, and you live in the states, you definitely need NTSC. They're in Russian with English subtitles, but I assume you can read or you wouldn't be here.

    Vasily is a tad on the short side for Sherlock, but otherwise purrrrfect - the most human and least annoying Sherlock. Vitaly Solomon's Watson is also several steps above the rest - not the dumb cluck, but warm, brave, bright and loyal. It's probably no coincindence that the script stays very close to the canon.

    & the music KICKS!! When it's on, it's good stuff with a Victorian feel, and adds to the scene. But in spots, they also make a fascinating and rare use of no music in this series, and it really brings home the Victorian pre-electronic era. In 'Red on White,' (which includes 'The Speckled Band'), Helen Stoner goes into her narrative while the only background noise is the clock ticking. It's not only realistic, but very compelling as you pick up her fear that time is running out.

    A side note is the presence of Queen Victoria pictures in every place of business. Sherlock was pre-fall of the USSR, so when this was produced each place of business was required by law to have a picture of Lenin above the desk. Did the writers think such laws applied universally, or were they leary of drawing attention to the absence of such laws in other countries?? Because overall, they seem to have tried very hard to be a historically accurate as possible. Well, such are the glories of socialism.

    Anyway, great series and well worth your time. So why are the only foreign movies one hears about dreary, depressing, artsy-phartsy films? Why didn't Hollywood bring Vasily over here (hubba hubba!!)? All the drivel they spout about multi-culti, let's see some foreign hunks in good movies. Mel Gibson's okay, but his films are frankly pretty dreary and heavy-duty.

    sigh. I feel cheated by Hollywood hegemony.


    Saturday, January 17, 2004

    Wow.

    I see by my stats that I had a visitor from the Islamic Republic of Iran yesterday. The Internet is simply amazing . . . .gives me chills.

    Whoever you are, welcome. Be careful on the Internet in that country you're living in, please. God bless.

    Bush Bypasses Congress


    Good job.

    Sidestepping a two-year congressional battle, President Bush is promoting federal Judge Charles Pickering of Mississippi to an appeals court, at least temporarily, in a slap at filibustering Senate Democrats who question the nominee's civil rights record.

    Such appointments, which need no Senate confirmation, are valid until the next Congress takes office, in this case in January 2005.

    "Again, I call on the Senate to stop playing politics with the American judicial system and to give my nominees the up-or-down votes they deserve," he said.

    Democrats used the appointment to try and paint Bush as insensitive to minorities, a theme they are expected to revisit during the election campaign.

    Democrats have used the threat of a filibuster to block six U.S. Appeals Court nominees this congressional term: Pickering, Alabama Attorney General William Pryor, Texas judge Priscilla Owen, Hispanic lawyer Miguel Estrada and California judges Carolyn Kuhl, nominated June 22, 2001 and still not voted on and African-AmericanJanice Rogers Brown.

    Frustrated at the delays, Estrada withdrew his nomination in September.


    Bold text was added by me, a few facts that seemed pertinent but somehow didn't make into the 'bias? what bias?' news report.

    The trick question is, even if we do get a few republicans in, will they lean towards the traditional (I'm starting to think mythical) republican concept of limited government and high individual freedom, or will they continue to accept democrat's oppression as long as they can slip in a few oppressive measures of their own?

    I sure wish the Libertarian party hadn't gone whack-job over the issue of civil defense; I voted for Harry Brown in 2000 but will probably vote Bush in '04. The only politician I can really stand is Ron Paul.


    Friday, January 16, 2004

    QUIZ DAY! YAY!

    That's "Primogen Persnickety" to you . . .

    What the heck is a primogen? Well, whatever it may be, I get to be one. I took a nifty quiz which I have removed from this blog because I couldn't get it to fit, but here's what it said:

    THE WORLD IS MINE!

    Name: Persnickety

    You will conquer: the United States of America (but their government in exile is still holding out in the Statue of Liberty's head).

    Your title will be: Primogen

    You will suceed by: Duex ex Machina

    Your enforcers will be: Orcs (millions of them! nothing beats orcs!).

    Your first act as ruler: Ban any movie with Dog/Ape/Boobs/Party/Dumb/Dude/Cat/Punk/Ernest/Twin/Titanic or Adventure in the name.




    This quiz took a big load off my mind. I had been worried about what would happen to the US. But now I see that I'll be driving Norman Mineta, Ted Kennedy and Barbara Boxer into exile and the idea pleases me greatly. Once they're all inside Lady Liberty's head, we'll be sending that statue back to France. YEESSSSSS!!

    I found this quiz over at Sugar White Sand. Go forth and conquer!!

    Classical Values is well-stocked up on Friday quizzes, but darn I really hated my results. He's got a country quiz, but I came up LIBYA! So I retook it - and came up Sudan!! Puh-leeze, I refuse to be Libya or Sudan. The third time I came up Taiwan, which is cool. Taiwan is a gutsy, independent country in spite of some tremendous pressures not to be (f*%& you, Jimmy Carter).

    While you're there, read Encouraging Malignancy, a disturbing and interesting post.



    Thursday, January 15, 2004

    ACHTUNG!



    Go read this post on just one impact of McCain-Feingold.. Then write your representative and your senators. Links provided in the previous sentence will even give you e-mail addresses, if available.

    Please, please, pretty please with sugar on top, write your congress critters and instruct them to instruct the IRS to withdraw proposed Revenue Ruling 2004-6.

    I told Jim Davis his damn bill was unconstitutional. Gott danged sonsabitches - & I'm using this language as a Christian - what the hell were they thinking!?!

    Please write, call, email, fax - whatever suits your fancy - but DO IT, dammit!

    & then start pondering what we, as citizens, can do if they once again ignore us.

    God bless and have mercy on the USA, as she pisses her blessings away.


    Update: The GOA action button will provide a form letter and send to your congress critters if you put it your zip code. You can get phone numbers and snail mail addresses from here. Congress critters need to get their response to the IRS in by Jan 26 so HURRY UP!

    Update II: hat tip to Argghhh!!! via my favorite cuddly puppy. Sorry, so mad I forget to issue credit where credit is due.

    Wednesday, January 14, 2004

    Huh?



    Well, well, well . . this is interesting. Kind of cool, because I'm ranked #3,333. It's a pretty, symmetrical sort of number isn't it? but more than kind of weird, because I never registered in the ecosystem. Perhaps someone I've linked to registered my site so that my link to their site would count?? Perhaps . . seems odd, though.

    It doesn't say what kind of a fish. I hope it's not a suckerfish or a clownfish. I wouldn't exactly be insulted by angelfish, but it's probably not applicable in this instance. Perhaps a humble guppie?

    It damn sure better not be a crapper.


    Update: Well, I was a flippery fish, briefly. Somebody had me on twice, and fixed their mistake. : (

    Update 19 Feb 04: OK, today I am an amphibian . . it appears that linking to my own post for reference moved me up a notch in the ecosystem. Interesting.


    Declaratory and Restrictive Clauses

    The Conventions of a number of the States having, at the time of adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added, and as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution;

    The above language is tucked in just before Amendments I - X to the US Constitution, commonly called the Bill of Rights. In my dream world, every single US citizen would take a good, hard look at 'declaratory and restrictive clauses.' For the umpteenth time, you as a US citizen get jack shit from the government in terms of rights. These amendments outline rights that you, as a free human being, are born with. The government doesn't give you a nose; you were (most likely) born with a nose. Likewise, the government does not 'give you' the right to speech, to self-defense, to be secure in your own home. Like the twittering birds, you are free to exercise your vocal cords as you see fit; like the mama grizzly, you can defend yourself and your loved ones; like the mole in its burrow, you can keep out interlopers. Anything less, and your status is lower than that of a mere animal.

    A GOVERNMENT CANNOT GIVE YOU RIGHTS; IT CAN ONLY USURP THEM!

    Savvy?

    Furthermore:


    Amendment IX
    The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.


    The mere absence of mention in the Constitution doesn't mean you don't have a particular right.

    This very fundamental American concept is not being taught in schools. Large portions of the adult population who were taught seem willing to forget it if it means they can get a bigger chunk of the government-entitlement pie. Yet it is this very concept that gives you the dignity only to be found in a freeman.

    A government cannot give you rights; it can only usurp them. A good government will help you protect your rights, but it can never, never ever 'give' you rights.

    Spread the word.


    Sunday, January 11, 2004

    Good Read

    The article How to Deconstruct Almost Anything is in Popdex's Top 100, so you may have already read it. If not, go now!!

    I tip my hat to this person's patience and perseverance.

    "People kept saying the most remarkable things using the most remarkable language, which I found I needed to put down in writing because the words would disappear from my brain within seconds if I didn't. Are you familiar with the experience of having memories of your dreams fade within a few minutes of waking? It was like that, and I think for much the same reason. Dreams have a logic and structure all their own, falling apart into unmemorable pieces that make no sense when subjected to the scrutiny of the conscious mind. So it was with many of the academics who got up to speak."

    Saturday, January 10, 2004

    Hussein Status

    Well, well, well. So Pentagon lawyers are veering towards POW status for Saddam. The headline and article imply that the decision has already been made and that trial must therefore be held by [spit] international court or the US.

    The Geneva Conventions say POWs can be tried only for crimes against humanity by an international tribunal or the occupying power, which in this case is the United States.

    However, I would bet you dollars to doughnuts that we could do a prisoner exchange with Iraq. Who wants to go to Iraq and shoplift, so we can get arrested and be exchanged? I am kind of weenie; I'll go but only if someone else pays for it and it's guaranteed to work.

    O well. He's got cancer and hopefully he will die within a few years anyway. I would like him to stay alive long enough for the truth to come out in detail in an open forum.

    Mischief

    In an earlier post, I expressed some curiousity as to what types of harmless pranks kids were playing these days. Looks like they are managing to make good - er - interesting use of modern technology

    Actually, I'm not sure if it's really kids playing pranks, or if it's BK corporate lawyers trying to fend off future 'BK made me eat it' lawsuits.

    Update: & then there's this, rather sweet prank.

    I'm glad the minister involved sees it for what it is . . . & a little sorry that the BK kids, once caught, will probably find themselves in hot water. Maybe it's because I was such a brat myself, but I do think that, especially in the teen years, you need some sort of outlet such as harmless mischief provides. Yeah, probably the BK kids shouldn't use profanity. I will agree with that, but also point out that they hear it every time they turn around, from adults and from movies that adults pay good money to see. I betcha 90% of the complainers are guilty of spreading profanity around, either with their own mouths or with their money going in support of Hollywood. Ya get what ya pay for . . .

    Friday, January 09, 2004

    WOO HOO!

    It's Friday! That means quiz day at Classical Values, plus time for the Friday Five. Shall I cheat shamelessly and use the same answers for both sets?

    Sure!


    Friday Five Questions
    What one thing are you most looking forward to . . .

    1. ...today?

    Today I shall don my shades and swagger!

    The Consummate Hipster: newbies bow to him, everyone else just stares, as he swagger down the street with
    You are the Consummate Hipster. Newbies bow to
    you, everyone else just stares, as you swagger
    down the street with "Little Green
    Bag" stuck in your head.


    What Kind of Hipster Are You?
    brought to you by Quizilla


    2. ...over the next week?

    Avoiding reality sounds like a pretty good plan.

    JaneEyre
    'Tis a great mystery, but somehow you have come to
    belong in Jane Eyre; a random world of love,
    kindness, madness, bad luck and lunatic
    ex-wives. There really isn't much to say about
    the place you belong in. It's your place, and
    though it seems far from reality largly due to
    how random the events are, you seem to enjoy
    it. You belong in a world where not too many
    people understand you, and where you can be
    somewhat of a recluse.


    Which Classic Novel do You Belong In?
    brought to you by Quizilla


    3. ...this year?

    I'm torn over which goal to strive for by year's end. Shall I cut off someone's head, or should I make love to him and then eat him, black-widow style? Buy stock in ketchup . . .








    WATER OF AIR. You're aloof, depressed and seasoned. You'd make a good psychologist, executioner, black widow, arsenic poisoner, heretic queen or commentator. You're too witty for your own good. Have to get up early in the morny morn to fool you, as you spot lies a mile away. And WOE TO THOSE who dare attempt such a stupid move. You're Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween, when she cuts Michael's head off. You're Anne Robinson, the host of The Weakest Link!
    Quiz
    created by Polly Snodgrass.



    4. ...over the next five years?

    Having dispatched the riff-raff (see q. 3 above), I shall then save the world:




    5. ...for the rest of your life?

    I'm not terribly concerned about the long term. I will wander down the river, in search of my shadow self, until the End Times.




    Happy Friday!!


    Tuesday, January 06, 2004

    A New Web Toy!

    New to me, anyway. I found Waypath via The Trommetter Times. Among other things, Waypath has this nifty little tool that lets you put in subjects and see how active that subject currently is on the Internet. Looks like lost socks was the hot topic over Christmas, but global warming has quite a spike at the end of the graph.



    Excellent! A new way to waste time!

    Sunday, January 04, 2004

    The Truth Shall Out?

    Fox News is giving Jeff at Alphecca a belated Christmas present in the form an editorial that may cheer him up (I hope).

    Too bad Jeff and John Lott are the only ones keeping an eye on this.

    Sign Spotted on East Chelsea Church:

    Merry Christmas
    to All
    Even the ACLU


    Saturday, January 03, 2004

    Mischief

    When I was a wee little teenager, lo these many moons ago, I and my fellows used to play the occasional prank.

    Like fer instance, the ubiquitous prank phone calls. We'd pick numbers at random out of the phone book:

    Prankster: Good afternoon, ma'am, this is the Blankenstack Marketing corporation. We were wondering if you have time to take a short survery on major appliances.

    Beleagured Innocent: Oh all right, go ahead.

    P: Thank you ma'am. Is your refridgerator running right now?

    BI: Yes, of course.

    P: Hadn't you better go catch it? HA HA HA {click}

    ____________________________________________________________

    Or calling a drugstore

    P: Hello, do you have Prince Albert (pipe tobacco) in a can?

    DS: Yes, we do.

    P: Hadn't you better let him out?

    ____________________________________________________________

    If you had several friends, you could pick a phone number and have various people call throughout the day asking for Marsha or Tom or whatever.

    P: Hi, could I speak to Marsha?

    BI: There's no one here by that name.

    P: Oh, I'm sorry wrong number.

    repeat sporadically all day long. At the end of the day, someone who has not dialed the BI's number calls:

    New P: Hi, this is Marsha. Are there any messages for me?

    _____________________________________________________________

    Now that everyone has caller ID, what do kids do for harmless mischief? Is there such a thing?

    Probably the worst thing we did involved actual theft. We were driving aimlessly about and saw a little buddha lawn statue made of white cement or concrete. One of the boys really wanted it, who knows why. "I gotta have it, c'mon." "No, you don't, we're not stopping." 3 blocks later he's still whining about it - but then we saw another one. They must have been on sale somewhere. Anyway, this one was exactly the same - same size, same position, only instead of white it was black. So we did the only thing a group of teenagers could possibly do.

    We switched 'em.

    What sort of (relatively) harmless pranks do kids play today?



    Friday, January 02, 2004

    Sign Spotted on CR 580:

    I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not so sure.

    Thursday, January 01, 2004

    Happy New Year!

    & what better way to celebrate the start of 2004 than with some useful information?

    Long, long ago, on an island far, far away, there lived a great Indian chief. He was so great, his people decided he could have more than one wife. This guy was so great, even his wives were okay with it!

    So he had a tent made out of lion's skin for his first wife. Next door (flap?) to his first wife, he had a tent of hippopotamus' skin for his second wife. He put his third wife next to his second wife, in a beautiful tent of leopard skin. & there lived his 3 wives happily, all in a row.

    They all had babies about the same time. The 1st wife had a bouncing baby boy; the 2nd wife had twins, one boy & one girl. The third wife had a darling little baby girl.

    The conclusion we can draw from this is that the squaw of a hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the squaws of the two adjacent hides.

    HA HA HA! GET IT?!?