Saturday, April 30, 2005
Friday, April 29, 2005
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Thanks Diane Carman - the Denver Post
Diane's piece reads, in part:
Whom would Jesus filibuster?
How many authentic people of faith really spent the Sabbath worshiping Bill Frist and James Dobson?
And if the majority votes for the nuclear option, will they have a prayer in the next election, especially the way the polls are going to hell for them right now?
I mean, the Beatitudes aside, the meek may never inherit the U.S. Congress - ever - even after the reign of Rep. Tom "The Hammer" DeLay is blessedly over.
Whom would Jesus filibuster?
How many authentic people of faith really spent the Sabbath worshiping Bill Frist and James Dobson?
And if the majority votes for the nuclear option, will they have a prayer in the next election, especially the way the polls are going to hell for them right now?
I mean, the Beatitudes aside, the meek may never inherit the U.S. Congress - ever - even after the reign of Rep. Tom "The Hammer" DeLay is blessedly over.
Christianity Runs Amok
So, James Dobson's (Focus on the Family headquartered in Colorado Springs) flock have targeted Colorado's newly-elected junior U.S. Senator, Ken Salazar, a Democrat, for what they believe to be his flip-flop on a campaign promise to vote up or down Dubya's judicial nominees. No, Dobson's group doesn't believe there is any room for anyone to equivocate on this issue. Not even you or me. God is on their side and, by GOD!, if you're not with them then, well, they'll picket your wife's business. Which is exactly what the Dobson folks did to Ken Salazar's wife who happens to own a Dairy Queen in a suburb of Denver.
The story in the Rocky Mountain News that prompted the outrageous headline, below, reports that Salazar said:
"After being relentlessly attacked in telephone calls, e-mails, newspapers and radio stations all across Colorado, having my faith questioned, and having my wife's business picketed as part of these attacks, I spoke about Jim Dobson and his efforts and used the term 'the Antichrist,' " Salazar said in a written statement.
"I regret having used that term. I meant to say this approach was unchristian, meaning self-serving and selfish."
Okay, I can understand that. He'd had it up to here with Dobson's bullshit. And, the Rocky Mountain News, (the little paper that could ... I think I can, I think I can...) -- which I desubscribed to during the last election because their biases are so obvious, their editorializing of the news so blatant, that I couldn't keep intentionally turning my stomach every morning over coffee -- went for the sleazy headline.
I'm sorry, but has anyone checked out what the Westboro Baptist Church is up to these days? You may recall the Good Reverend Fred Phelps and his crew headed up to Laramie after Matthew Shepard had been beaten to death and, well, came up with this little beauty....
Slurs?
Is it at all troubling that JPII and this new vicar of Christ believed/believe my life consists of a "...philosophy of evil...?"
Slurs?
Do you know, do you care how many millions of people are dying of HIV opportunistic infections and afflictions and starvation because the Roman Church forbids the use of condoms or any method of birth control at all? (A Blogger I do respect noted that I have been overly critical of the Roman Church because it does, after all, provide so much to so many around the world. Ah, but here's the rub: There is a balance to be achieved and who among us can condone the continuing birth of children in countries where the average life expectancy is thirty-four years; who among us can not see the worth, the fabulous worth, indeed, the miracle of the practical application of stem cell research?)
Slurs?
Ah, this polemic, this interjection of religious fundamentalism into something as absolutely, bare-bones secular as the fucking filibuster for God's sake is so absurdly ridiculous (given that over 90% of Dubya's judicial nominees have sailed through Congress with nary a hair up anybodies ass); yes, this polemic is disgusting.
And, Senator Salazar -- (who is said to be a devout Catholic who even attended seminary -- that's where you go if you want to be a priest or, I guess, the Pope) -- I know you're new to this senator thing, but I'm reminded of a quote -- which I'll paraphrase, from Harry Tammen who was Fred Bonfils partner (original owners of the Denver Post): "Bon speaks twice before thinking once. I think twice before speaking once."
Ken, I'd take Tammen's advice, if I were you.
The story in the Rocky Mountain News that prompted the outrageous headline, below, reports that Salazar said:
"After being relentlessly attacked in telephone calls, e-mails, newspapers and radio stations all across Colorado, having my faith questioned, and having my wife's business picketed as part of these attacks, I spoke about Jim Dobson and his efforts and used the term 'the Antichrist,' " Salazar said in a written statement.
"I regret having used that term. I meant to say this approach was unchristian, meaning self-serving and selfish."
Okay, I can understand that. He'd had it up to here with Dobson's bullshit. And, the Rocky Mountain News, (the little paper that could ... I think I can, I think I can...) -- which I desubscribed to during the last election because their biases are so obvious, their editorializing of the news so blatant, that I couldn't keep intentionally turning my stomach every morning over coffee -- went for the sleazy headline.
I'm sorry, but has anyone checked out what the Westboro Baptist Church is up to these days? You may recall the Good Reverend Fred Phelps and his crew headed up to Laramie after Matthew Shepard had been beaten to death and, well, came up with this little beauty....
Slurs?
Is it at all troubling that JPII and this new vicar of Christ believed/believe my life consists of a "...philosophy of evil...?"
Slurs?
Do you know, do you care how many millions of people are dying of HIV opportunistic infections and afflictions and starvation because the Roman Church forbids the use of condoms or any method of birth control at all? (A Blogger I do respect noted that I have been overly critical of the Roman Church because it does, after all, provide so much to so many around the world. Ah, but here's the rub: There is a balance to be achieved and who among us can condone the continuing birth of children in countries where the average life expectancy is thirty-four years; who among us can not see the worth, the fabulous worth, indeed, the miracle of the practical application of stem cell research?)
Slurs?
Ah, this polemic, this interjection of religious fundamentalism into something as absolutely, bare-bones secular as the fucking filibuster for God's sake is so absurdly ridiculous (given that over 90% of Dubya's judicial nominees have sailed through Congress with nary a hair up anybodies ass); yes, this polemic is disgusting.
And, Senator Salazar -- (who is said to be a devout Catholic who even attended seminary -- that's where you go if you want to be a priest or, I guess, the Pope) -- I know you're new to this senator thing, but I'm reminded of a quote -- which I'll paraphrase, from Harry Tammen who was Fred Bonfils partner (original owners of the Denver Post): "Bon speaks twice before thinking once. I think twice before speaking once."
Ken, I'd take Tammen's advice, if I were you.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Jon Stewart's GAY WATCH (From AlteNet Peek & Crooks and Liars)
Great video!
Daily Show: Gay Watch (video)Jon Stewart trains the guns on that last refuge of acceptable bigotry: homophobia -- and the cosmetic-surgery-victim news anchors who let their claims go unchallenged. To Microsoft "the company with the doubly un-erotic name," who caved in to conservative evangelical boycott threats, he pleads: "Afraid of a boycott? And you call yourself a heartless monopoly." (Crooks & Liars) Posted by Evan on April 27, 2005 @ 6:00AM.
Daily Show: Gay Watch (video)Jon Stewart trains the guns on that last refuge of acceptable bigotry: homophobia -- and the cosmetic-surgery-victim news anchors who let their claims go unchallenged. To Microsoft "the company with the doubly un-erotic name," who caved in to conservative evangelical boycott threats, he pleads: "Afraid of a boycott? And you call yourself a heartless monopoly." (Crooks & Liars) Posted by Evan on April 27, 2005 @ 6:00AM.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Two Good Reads
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Ciao Roman Catholicism - The Rude Pundit Speaks
See his April 22nd post.
The Rude Pundit never disappoints.
The Rude Pundit never disappoints.
Governor Gloom - Remember Him
You may remember a former Colorado Governor, Dick Lamm, who, in 1984, became nationally known as, "Governor Gloom" because of his expousal of the proposition that each of us has a "...duty to die." The remarks were, of course, made in the context of the enormous cost of healthcare (for the terminally ill and elderly), the the ethical dilemma of assisted suicide and euthanasia. No, I really am not revisitiing the Schiavo travesty, but as I was reading a piece by Lamm in this morning's Denver Post, I was reminded of the Lamm event of twenty years ago.
The piece in the Post this morning is, yes, gloomy, and speaks to America's unfunded liabilities amounting to probably $74Trillion, and the federal debt of $7.5Trillion, the burden of which will be passed on to our (collective) children and gradchildren. The piece reads, in part:
While these unfunded liabilities are largely from Social Security and Medicare, every dime of the war in Iraq has been put on our children's credit cards. Every year, we borrow approximately 30 percent of our spending from the future. While George W. Bush is the most fiscally reckless president in U.S. history, he is just the logical extension of the same irresponsible habits developed by both political parties.
We now have "big government" conservatives who also feel free to spend and not to pay. The question in my mind isn't which political party can keep America great, but whether either of them can.
But the greater fault perhaps lies with the overindulged American public. We collectively demand services but don't want to pay for them.
This is probably the third time I've posted on this incredibly immense issue which is chip, chip, chipping away at the integrity, the core structure of what, in the not too distant future, may be looked upon as a great country whose dominance in the world was quite short-lived.
Nope, it ain't those damned queers, Martha, or those evildoer judges who are gonna send us all down the shithole.
Just ask Governor Gloom.
The piece in the Post this morning is, yes, gloomy, and speaks to America's unfunded liabilities amounting to probably $74Trillion, and the federal debt of $7.5Trillion, the burden of which will be passed on to our (collective) children and gradchildren. The piece reads, in part:
While these unfunded liabilities are largely from Social Security and Medicare, every dime of the war in Iraq has been put on our children's credit cards. Every year, we borrow approximately 30 percent of our spending from the future. While George W. Bush is the most fiscally reckless president in U.S. history, he is just the logical extension of the same irresponsible habits developed by both political parties.
We now have "big government" conservatives who also feel free to spend and not to pay. The question in my mind isn't which political party can keep America great, but whether either of them can.
But the greater fault perhaps lies with the overindulged American public. We collectively demand services but don't want to pay for them.
This is probably the third time I've posted on this incredibly immense issue which is chip, chip, chipping away at the integrity, the core structure of what, in the not too distant future, may be looked upon as a great country whose dominance in the world was quite short-lived.
Nope, it ain't those damned queers, Martha, or those evildoer judges who are gonna send us all down the shithole.
Just ask Governor Gloom.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Curious George Wonders
I wonder ...
If the Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church were to liquidate its gold and silver, silk and precious metals; its wonderful collection of precious metals and jewels, ancient art and tapestries; real estate and other holdings throughout the world; yes, if the Roman Catholic Church were to do such an outrageous, curiously Christ-like thing, could we -- the world -- have a cure for HIV/AIDS? If the Roman Catholic Church were to dedicate all of the proceeds of it's liquidation to funding a cure for HIV/AIDS, do you think it would happen? Would we, thereby, have a cure?
You know, I cannot help but wonder (and I wonder if there aren't more than a few in the Roman Church who wonder) if Christ walked the earth today, would he be confused and disgusted by the wealth of the Roman Church?
Curious George thinks the Roman Church should move to, oh, Musgokee, Oklahoma or, say, the slums of Sao Pablo, Brazil -- after selling off it's assets -- and live, yes, like Christ would have lived -- selflessly giving of himself to the oppressed of the world.
But, then, should we think about the immensely financially solvent Christian (Protestant) sects that strive to insinuate themselves, impose themselves into the theocracization of American politics under the guise of the "will of the people?"
Ah, where do we do go from here, Curious George wonders? Where will this all end....
If the Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church were to liquidate its gold and silver, silk and precious metals; its wonderful collection of precious metals and jewels, ancient art and tapestries; real estate and other holdings throughout the world; yes, if the Roman Catholic Church were to do such an outrageous, curiously Christ-like thing, could we -- the world -- have a cure for HIV/AIDS? If the Roman Catholic Church were to dedicate all of the proceeds of it's liquidation to funding a cure for HIV/AIDS, do you think it would happen? Would we, thereby, have a cure?
You know, I cannot help but wonder (and I wonder if there aren't more than a few in the Roman Church who wonder) if Christ walked the earth today, would he be confused and disgusted by the wealth of the Roman Church?
Curious George thinks the Roman Church should move to, oh, Musgokee, Oklahoma or, say, the slums of Sao Pablo, Brazil -- after selling off it's assets -- and live, yes, like Christ would have lived -- selflessly giving of himself to the oppressed of the world.
But, then, should we think about the immensely financially solvent Christian (Protestant) sects that strive to insinuate themselves, impose themselves into the theocracization of American politics under the guise of the "will of the people?"
Ah, where do we do go from here, Curious George wonders? Where will this all end....
Thursday, April 21, 2005
The Comfortable Thrill of Militarism - The Fascination with War
I have been thinking lately about how comfortable Americans are becoming with what I would call the new militarism which has emerged over the past ten to fifteen years as a kind of Star Wars fascination with all the gadgets and gizmos, thrills and chills of Made in America warfare.
A very, very good read on the changing face of war (ain't foxholes and beans any more, baby!) piece from Altenet this morning by Andrew Bacevich -- a genuine Conservative which is something quite different from a neocon -- provides an excellent explication of this new, somewhat strange and, what I find to be deadly tragic, purely American phenomenon.
A very, very good read on the changing face of war (ain't foxholes and beans any more, baby!) piece from Altenet this morning by Andrew Bacevich -- a genuine Conservative which is something quite different from a neocon -- provides an excellent explication of this new, somewhat strange and, what I find to be deadly tragic, purely American phenomenon.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
On Asthma - On the New Pope
Asthma is a curious affliction. Certainly, made more curious for me in that I had thought I had left it behind me more than forty years ago. I know, I know... Most of my "worth a look" links aren't even thirty yet. But, bear with me.
I was having trouble with my asthma. My asthma? I've really personalized this, haven't I. But, then, it is mine -- a possession I'd rather not have -- and, for better or worse, I embrace it as part of me. The trouble I was having had me waking up in the night four, five, six times, wheezing and crackling like a fucking fifty-year smoker and getting a little relief from a shot of Albuterol (anti-spasmodic) until, yes, I woke up again ... wheezing and crackling to beat the band.
Okay. So, I head to my doctor at Kaiser where I admit that, no, I haven't been truly faithful to his instructions to use my anti-inflammatory, QVAR, twice a day -- one puff in the morning; one puff at night. My doctor frowns and informs me that the average use of the anti-spasmodic, Abuterol, is, for my age-group, probably twice a week -- not five or six times a night.
Solution: A week of Prednisone -- that wonderful steroid -- to get rid of the inflammation I'm obviously experiencing; an additional anti-inflammatory medication, SereVent (one inhalation a day) and an increase in the QVAR to two puffs twice a day.
Also, he prescribed this neat, little device that I blow (a huge puff) into to determine my pulmonary function, which, if I'm over 500 (the digital readout) I figure it's okay to run the mile-and-a-half I've become accumstomed to. (I know, you young'uns are doing six miles a day. Well, forget that! A mile-and-a-half is just fine for this older guy.)
Anyway, for all you asthma sufferers, I think I've got it under control. I hope what I've shared may be helpful to you.
**
The new Pope.
This from TalkLeft provides pretty much where this new Pope will be coming from.
You know, it's obvious that the College of Cardinals (there is Machiavelli afoot here, folks) understood the necessity to install a seventy-eight-year-old, old fart into the seat of Peter (Saint Peter, the first Pope), surely knowing that the weight of the Papacy will bear heavy on Ratzinerger's shoulders and that -- God Bless the old anal-retentive fart -- the glory of heaven will most likely come sooner than later.
I believe this is a transitional Pope who will do his thing -- mirroring his hero, JPII, to the hilt. And, while he's doing his thing, many of the College of Cardinals will be considering whether or not the Church should become the exclusive domain of the oppressed in the Third World -- Africa, South America -- or if the Church should begin -- just simply begin -- to understand the turbulence extant in Western Civilization with the decivilizing, destructive, deathly teachings of a Church which -- for the extent of JPII's reign -- never understood the realities of the world; never understood the suffering of the world; never understood the mandates of a world engulfed in misery, hunger, disease, death and destruction.
Ah, the Papal garments -- the silk, the precious cottons, the scented robes -- are so impressive. Let them, oh, let them -- the silk, the precious cottons, the scented robes -- comfort those dying in Angola from Ebola; those dying in Zimbabwe from AIDS.
I was having trouble with my asthma. My asthma? I've really personalized this, haven't I. But, then, it is mine -- a possession I'd rather not have -- and, for better or worse, I embrace it as part of me. The trouble I was having had me waking up in the night four, five, six times, wheezing and crackling like a fucking fifty-year smoker and getting a little relief from a shot of Albuterol (anti-spasmodic) until, yes, I woke up again ... wheezing and crackling to beat the band.
Okay. So, I head to my doctor at Kaiser where I admit that, no, I haven't been truly faithful to his instructions to use my anti-inflammatory, QVAR, twice a day -- one puff in the morning; one puff at night. My doctor frowns and informs me that the average use of the anti-spasmodic, Abuterol, is, for my age-group, probably twice a week -- not five or six times a night.
Solution: A week of Prednisone -- that wonderful steroid -- to get rid of the inflammation I'm obviously experiencing; an additional anti-inflammatory medication, SereVent (one inhalation a day) and an increase in the QVAR to two puffs twice a day.
Also, he prescribed this neat, little device that I blow (a huge puff) into to determine my pulmonary function, which, if I'm over 500 (the digital readout) I figure it's okay to run the mile-and-a-half I've become accumstomed to. (I know, you young'uns are doing six miles a day. Well, forget that! A mile-and-a-half is just fine for this older guy.)
Anyway, for all you asthma sufferers, I think I've got it under control. I hope what I've shared may be helpful to you.
**
The new Pope.
This from TalkLeft provides pretty much where this new Pope will be coming from.
You know, it's obvious that the College of Cardinals (there is Machiavelli afoot here, folks) understood the necessity to install a seventy-eight-year-old, old fart into the seat of Peter (Saint Peter, the first Pope), surely knowing that the weight of the Papacy will bear heavy on Ratzinerger's shoulders and that -- God Bless the old anal-retentive fart -- the glory of heaven will most likely come sooner than later.
I believe this is a transitional Pope who will do his thing -- mirroring his hero, JPII, to the hilt. And, while he's doing his thing, many of the College of Cardinals will be considering whether or not the Church should become the exclusive domain of the oppressed in the Third World -- Africa, South America -- or if the Church should begin -- just simply begin -- to understand the turbulence extant in Western Civilization with the decivilizing, destructive, deathly teachings of a Church which -- for the extent of JPII's reign -- never understood the realities of the world; never understood the suffering of the world; never understood the mandates of a world engulfed in misery, hunger, disease, death and destruction.
Ah, the Papal garments -- the silk, the precious cottons, the scented robes -- are so impressive. Let them, oh, let them -- the silk, the precious cottons, the scented robes -- comfort those dying in Angola from Ebola; those dying in Zimbabwe from AIDS.
Monday, April 18, 2005
Scientific American - Succumbs to Creationism! :-)
Good read. God, I remember Scientific American from forty years ago. Don't ever remember them publishing an editorial.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Friday, April 15, 2005
Monday, April 11, 2005
Living Will (Thanks Fred)
MY LIVING WILL
I, ____________________ (fill in the blank), being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means.
Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of peckerwood politicians who couldn't pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it.
If a reasonable amount of time passes and I fail to sit up and ask for a scotch, it should be presumed that I won't do so ever again. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my spouse, children and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes and call it a day.
Under no circumstances shall the members of the Legislature enact a special law to keep me on life-support machinery. It is my wish that these boneheads mind their own damn business, and pay attention instead to the health, education and future of the millions of Americans who aren't in a permanent coma and who nonetheless may be in need of nourishment.
Under no circumstances shall any politicians butt into this case. I don't care how many fundamentalist votes they're trying to scrounge for their run for the presidency in 2008, it is my wish that they play politics with someone else's life and leave me alone to die in peace.
I couldn't care less if a hundred religious zealots send e-mails to legislators in which they pretend to care about me. I don't know these people, and I certainly haven't authorized them to preach
and/or crusade on my behalf. They should mind their own damn business, too.
If any of my family goes against my wishes and turns my case into a political cause, I hereby promise to come back from the grave and make his or her existence a living hell.
I, ____________________ (fill in the blank), being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means.
Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of peckerwood politicians who couldn't pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it.
If a reasonable amount of time passes and I fail to sit up and ask for a scotch, it should be presumed that I won't do so ever again. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my spouse, children and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes and call it a day.
Under no circumstances shall the members of the Legislature enact a special law to keep me on life-support machinery. It is my wish that these boneheads mind their own damn business, and pay attention instead to the health, education and future of the millions of Americans who aren't in a permanent coma and who nonetheless may be in need of nourishment.
Under no circumstances shall any politicians butt into this case. I don't care how many fundamentalist votes they're trying to scrounge for their run for the presidency in 2008, it is my wish that they play politics with someone else's life and leave me alone to die in peace.
I couldn't care less if a hundred religious zealots send e-mails to legislators in which they pretend to care about me. I don't know these people, and I certainly haven't authorized them to preach
and/or crusade on my behalf. They should mind their own damn business, too.
If any of my family goes against my wishes and turns my case into a political cause, I hereby promise to come back from the grave and make his or her existence a living hell.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Saturday, April 09, 2005
I Read the News Today, Oh Boy!
The New York Times tells us there's a new outbreak of the Ebola-like (Marburg) fever in Angola that may prove to be the most devastating outbreak of this horrible disease yet. You may recall that this is the disease for which, "There is no cure or vaccine for the highly contagious virus. Victims suffer a high fever, diarrhea, vomiting and severe bleeding from bodily orifices and usually die within a week. "
The Times also reports that North Korea has rejected talks with China with regard to nuclear disarmament.
Also from the Times, we're reminded that Iraq is still a fucking mess, with Shiites converging on Baghdad to protest the American presence in THEIR country.
The Washington Post tells us that the neocons are homing in on Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy at a conference entitled: "Confronting the Judicial War on Faith. Please read the following from the story:
"Not to be outdone, lawyer-author Edwin Vieira told the gathering that Kennedy should be impeached because his philosophy, evidenced in his opinion striking down an anti-sodomy statute, 'upholds Marxist, Leninist, satanic principles drawn from foreign law.'
"Ominously, Vieira continued by saying his 'bottom line' for dealing with the Supreme Court comes from Joseph Stalin. 'He had a slogan, and it worked very well for him, whenever he ran into difficulty: 'no man, no problem,' Vieira said.
"The full Stalin quote, for those who don't recognize it, is 'Death solves all problems: no man, no problem.' Presumably, Vieira had in mind something less extreme than Stalin did and was not actually advocating violence. But then, these are scary times for the judiciary. An anti-judge furor may help confirm President Bush's judicial nominees, but it also has the potential to turn ugly."
Then we've got Dubya: "There is no doubt in my mind there is a living God. And no doubt in my mind that Lord, Christ, was sent by the Almighty. No doubt in my mind about that," as reported in the Washington Post. He went on to say, "I think a walk in faith constantly confronts doubt, as faith becomes more mature," he said. "And you constantly confront, you know, questions. My faith is strong. The Bible talks about, you've got to constantly stay in touch with the word of God in order to help you on the walk.
"But the Lord works in mysterious ways," he added, "and during all our life's journeys we're enabled to see the Lord at work if our eyes are open and our hearts are open."
Yeah, I read the news today, oh boy! The wretched suffering in Angola; North Korea DOES HAVE WMD's; young Americans still dying in Iraq for what? Dubya's democracy?; Neocons apparently advocating, if not impeachment, then the murder of judges they don't agree with. And, then we've got Dubya walkin' with the Lawd.
Hmmm... Jesus wept...
The Times also reports that North Korea has rejected talks with China with regard to nuclear disarmament.
Also from the Times, we're reminded that Iraq is still a fucking mess, with Shiites converging on Baghdad to protest the American presence in THEIR country.
The Washington Post tells us that the neocons are homing in on Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy at a conference entitled: "Confronting the Judicial War on Faith. Please read the following from the story:
"Not to be outdone, lawyer-author Edwin Vieira told the gathering that Kennedy should be impeached because his philosophy, evidenced in his opinion striking down an anti-sodomy statute, 'upholds Marxist, Leninist, satanic principles drawn from foreign law.'
"Ominously, Vieira continued by saying his 'bottom line' for dealing with the Supreme Court comes from Joseph Stalin. 'He had a slogan, and it worked very well for him, whenever he ran into difficulty: 'no man, no problem,' Vieira said.
"The full Stalin quote, for those who don't recognize it, is 'Death solves all problems: no man, no problem.' Presumably, Vieira had in mind something less extreme than Stalin did and was not actually advocating violence. But then, these are scary times for the judiciary. An anti-judge furor may help confirm President Bush's judicial nominees, but it also has the potential to turn ugly."
Then we've got Dubya: "There is no doubt in my mind there is a living God. And no doubt in my mind that Lord, Christ, was sent by the Almighty. No doubt in my mind about that," as reported in the Washington Post. He went on to say, "I think a walk in faith constantly confronts doubt, as faith becomes more mature," he said. "And you constantly confront, you know, questions. My faith is strong. The Bible talks about, you've got to constantly stay in touch with the word of God in order to help you on the walk.
"But the Lord works in mysterious ways," he added, "and during all our life's journeys we're enabled to see the Lord at work if our eyes are open and our hearts are open."
Yeah, I read the news today, oh boy! The wretched suffering in Angola; North Korea DOES HAVE WMD's; young Americans still dying in Iraq for what? Dubya's democracy?; Neocons apparently advocating, if not impeachment, then the murder of judges they don't agree with. And, then we've got Dubya walkin' with the Lawd.
Hmmm... Jesus wept...
Friday, April 08, 2005
Protector of Pederasts - Champion of the Holy See
This, from the New York Times speaks to my earlier post with regard to JPII.
There is probably only one conclusion that I can make which suggests what is called the Holy See (the Vatican and the legacy of JPII) just really didn't/doesn't take a pederast in a cassock as a very serious offense against the dignity and purity of a child's soul.
There is probably only one conclusion that I can make which suggests what is called the Holy See (the Vatican and the legacy of JPII) just really didn't/doesn't take a pederast in a cassock as a very serious offense against the dignity and purity of a child's soul.
Snarky -- I love that word!
Colorado Pols which I've linked to for some time, was written up in the Denver Post today. These guys started their blog in January and, last month, had 20,000 hits and expect twice that many this month. Congratulations.
Typically, Governor Bill "Owens' communications chief, Sean Duffy, took umbrage with a recent posting about Holtzman's fiancée and Owens' former deputy spokeswoman, Kristen Hubbell, whom the site described as a 'press girl.'
"It was snarky and demeaning," Duffy said. "The anonymous nature of this [the blog] cuts the cord on accountability."
Well, Sean, I'm not sure in what manner you would wish to hold bloggers "accountable?" I mean, if they're really snarky would it be three days in the stocks? A public dunking until they forsake their snarkiness?
As an aside, for your boss, Governor Bill Owens -- the butt...um, batboy for Denver Archbishop Charlie Chaput -- on his recent veto of a bill that would have required hospitals -- even Catholic owned/run -- hospitals to inform rape victims that they do have an "...emergency contraception..." option, Mike Keefe's cartoon in this morning's Post kind of hits it on the proverbial head.
Typically, Governor Bill "Owens' communications chief, Sean Duffy, took umbrage with a recent posting about Holtzman's fiancée and Owens' former deputy spokeswoman, Kristen Hubbell, whom the site described as a 'press girl.'
"It was snarky and demeaning," Duffy said. "The anonymous nature of this [the blog] cuts the cord on accountability."
Well, Sean, I'm not sure in what manner you would wish to hold bloggers "accountable?" I mean, if they're really snarky would it be three days in the stocks? A public dunking until they forsake their snarkiness?
As an aside, for your boss, Governor Bill Owens -- the butt...um, batboy for Denver Archbishop Charlie Chaput -- on his recent veto of a bill that would have required hospitals -- even Catholic owned/run -- hospitals to inform rape victims that they do have an "...emergency contraception..." option, Mike Keefe's cartoon in this morning's Post kind of hits it on the proverbial head.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Yup, Dubya's democracy In Action
The National Council of Women's Organizations had protested the move by Koch. "In keeping with the Bush administration's determination to quash anyone who disagrees with them, federal agencies now consider it 'partisan' to hold any opinion that is not identical to the president's," the group said in a statement. It pointed out that yesterday, Bush promoted his plan at a federal facility -- the Bureau of Public Debt in West Virginia -- without giving time to anybody opposed to personal accounts.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
JPII - A Few Thoughts
I suspect Pope John Paul II secured his place in heaven a long, long time ago. He was a good man; a holy man. But, he was also a politician of Machiavellian proportions; an actor with perfect timing and, alas, a good ol' boy who, in the tradition of all good ol' boys saw the world in such a way that stifled innovation and culture; that stomped hard upon any notions of the elevation of women within the church and, finally -- something a little closer to where I live -- John Paul II, in his latest pronouncement on homosexuality, called it an "...ideology of evil ... which attempts to pit human rights against the family and against man."
More on John Paul II later.
I was born and raised within the onerous clutch of my mother's deep devotion to the Roman Catholic Church. Her Irish/Italian lineage had, of course, prepared her for the responsibility of assuring her own offspring would -- as she had -- accept without question the faith-based truths that there could be something called the Holy Trinity, the three persons in one thing -- God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost; that the mother of God was a virgin (and throughout her life remained a virgin), even though it seems, Jesus Christ -- who, of course, was also God -- is reputed to have had a brother named James.
Yes, no argument with the concept of faith. Not many religions could endure without the blind acceptance of particular truths based soley on faith and pretty much faith alone. Faith is surely the elixir that makes religion palpable; believable. Without it, without faith, could anyone really understand the three persons in one thing?
It was Tertullian (second or third century convert to Christianity) who observed that, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."
I remember, as a boy, being absolutely infatuated with a picture in my mother's bible which depicted the suffering of the martyr Saint Sebastian who had been impaled with more than a few arrows because of his staunch faith in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Saint Sebastian was depicted as a beautiful young man in a flimsy loincloth who had been tied to a tree and, in the picture in my mother's bible, bled from the holes where seven or eight arrows had been shot into his body. Saint Sebastian apparently survived the arrows and went on to spread, what else?, the faith.
I fell in love with Saint Sebastian or, at least, the representation of Saint Sebastian in my mother's bible. And, this was probably before my first communion which means, at six or seven years old, I was pretty sure I liked guys, especially Saint Sebastian who was ready and willing to give his life for the Church -- in a loincloth, no less -- or, really, to give his life for the teachings of Jesus Christ. It was, of course, those teaching that, as the story goes, led to the establishment of the one, true faith, which was Roman Catholicism, and which -- upon this rock I will build my Church (Saint Peter) --ended up in Rome. Yes, for a time I even wanted to become a priest; a Franciscan. I was infatuated -- at eight or nine years of age -- with the brown cassock and the rope around the waist with three knots tie in it which hung down from the waist. I really wanted to wear that getup.
Well, my mother's devotion, her faith in the Roman Catholic Church became more and more pronounced and, perhaps, mystical after my father died. She became enamored with the strange and somewhat weird stigmata of the intensely faithful which is that phenomenon where folks begin to bleed from the palms of their hands or the middle of their feet -- the places where the nails were inserted in Jesus Christ's body to secure him to the cross.
I remember one Christmas mother even provided most of the family with 3D representations of Jesus wearing His crown of thorns. Every time you'd walk in front of the the picture, Jesus would open and close his eyes. Freaky.
Mother did manage -- in spite of my father's indifference to religion, any religion -- to have all her children baptized, receive First Communion and be Confirmed within the Roman Catholic Church. That was a great point of pride with her. She worked very hard to point us in the right direction; to hopefully assure our ultimate salvation.
The last time I actually sat through a mass was probably in 1973, in Virginia Beach, Virginia where I and my best Army buddy, Bob Stein, had Easter dinner and, after finding a charming little Catholic Church about to begin services, we actually stepped in and participated.
Well, to the point: The predecessor to John Paul I and John Paul II was Pope John XXIII who was, as I recall him, a rotund, smiling, loving, caring visage of a Church not so much infested with the stern and uncompromising precepts of the current regime which came of age under Pope John Paul II. No, the Papacy of John XXIII was, um, forgiving, loving, accepting. John XXIII reformed the Roman Catholic Church in such a way that had not been seen in probably a millenium; he brought the church into the twentieth century.
Back to John Paul II.
One wonders if John Paul II ever considered the consequences of his unbending insistence that even rubbers, prophylactics are anti-life, anti-Church, anti-His, John Paul's, supposed infallibility ? You non-Catholics do understand that all Popes are infallible; that they, given their direct dial connection with the almighty, are absolutely incapable of making an erroneous decision upon this earth.
Yes, while John Paul II was enriching his image as such a charming crusader for human rights throughout the world, did he ever give thought to the immense suffering caused by AIDS within sub-Saharan Africa where, yes, the use of prophylactics could/can make a difference? Did John Paul II ever once consider setting aside the notion that rubbers are anti-life and that it might make sense for him to ride down the dusty streets of Zimbabwe and toss Trojans from the Popemobile rather than simply blessing the folks by making the sign of the cross with his hand. What a statement that would have made!
Yes, and what about John Paul II and the Church's dirty little secret with regard to the pederasts within the priesthood and the Church's quiet protection of those deviates? I don't believe I've ever heard or read of anything John Paul II said or wrote or did which spoke directly to the molestation of innocent boys by the very real -- as opposed to the ideological -- evil of fucked-up priests within the holy womb of mother Church? No, what I recall was John Paul II's most public and telling action of bringing Cardinal Bernard F. Law from Boston (where he had ignored, botched, hidden the sexual abuses by priests against children and for which, Bostonians demanded his removal); yes, John Paul II brought Cardinal Bernard F. Law from Boston -- where tar and feathers were being prepared -- and gave him a promotion to archpriest of one of the four basilicas under Vatican direction in Rome, St. Mary Major Basilica.
John Paul II was a good man; a holy man.
I only hope his successor will see the world as it really is; will not be so determinably visible as a crusader for human rights, as determinably insistent that, even if the meek have achieved human rights, God's work demands that they also have the opportunity to live their lives beyond a life-expectancy of thirty-four years. Yes, and even if the young are newly valued by John Paul II's legacy, God's work demands that they, the young, not have to fear the priests as predators who, in fact and sadly, were protected and promoted under John Paul II's watch.
Monday, April 04, 2005
Colorado Legislative Debate - Will Gay Marriage Lead to Bestiality?
This morning's Denver Post carried a great op-ed piece by Jim Spencer which addresses a Colorado State Representative, Jim Welker's, assertion that unless Colorado enacts a gay marriage ban, people will be marrying their dogs and horses and, well... Spencer says, in part:
"Welker's talk of people marrying dogs and horses is the stuff of tabloid headlines. Worse, it oozes prejudice.
"Colorado now has the distinction of having a state representative who equates homosexuality with bestiality.
"That kind of hatred is almost impossible to embrace.
"Most of us would rather kiss a pig."
"Welker's talk of people marrying dogs and horses is the stuff of tabloid headlines. Worse, it oozes prejudice.
"Colorado now has the distinction of having a state representative who equates homosexuality with bestiality.
"That kind of hatred is almost impossible to embrace.
"Most of us would rather kiss a pig."
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Friday, April 01, 2005
Gay Marriage Will Lead to Interspecies Relationships/Marriage
Yup, that's what Colorado State Representative Jim Welker (from Loveland, Colorado which is, incidentally, Marilyn Musgrave country) says will happen if the the Colorado State Legislature does not pass an anti-gay marriage bill.
Colorado's legislature has traditionally been overwhelmingly populated with the most outrageous buffoons and bumpkins ever to walk this good earth. Jim Welker is one of them.
Ol' Jim's picture is above. Somehow, I kind of think he's missed the evolutionary boat. But, then, he'd probably agree with me 'cause he was "created in God's image," and certainly not "evolved" from a fuckin' monkey.
Rings a bell, doesn't it.
Colorado's legislature has traditionally been overwhelmingly populated with the most outrageous buffoons and bumpkins ever to walk this good earth. Jim Welker is one of them.
Ol' Jim's picture is above. Somehow, I kind of think he's missed the evolutionary boat. But, then, he'd probably agree with me 'cause he was "created in God's image," and certainly not "evolved" from a fuckin' monkey.
Rings a bell, doesn't it.
Margaret Cho - Full House In Denver
Every time Margaret Cho comes to Denver, her routine gets better. She packed Denver's Buell Theater last night -- a venue probably twice the size as the Paramount Theater where she played the last time she was here.
She's headed to Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles next. So, get your tickets.
Now, if you're a bible-thumping, right-to-lifer, neocon, Dubya suckass muthah-you-know-what, then you might want to read the reviews of her current tour: "Assassain" aka "State of Emergency," 'cause god knows Margaret would be just devastated if she offended you with her act. :-)
She's headed to Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles next. So, get your tickets.
Now, if you're a bible-thumping, right-to-lifer, neocon, Dubya suckass muthah-you-know-what, then you might want to read the reviews of her current tour: "Assassain" aka "State of Emergency," 'cause god knows Margaret would be just devastated if she offended you with her act. :-)
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