It's a bittersweet fall day. The sun is shining and the leaves are glowing golden on this downright balmy November afternoon. There are birds chattering away in the trees outside.
Oh, so many birds.
The phone rang shortly after noon today, signaling the end of a beautiful relationship.
The Escort has ... gone to a farm upstate. There's lots of other cars there, too, and even some tractors and motorbikes.
As the tow-truck driver slowly winched the car onto the bed of his truck, well ... I didn't shed a tear. But I kind of loved that car.
P.S. YOU GUYS! It's been a freaking year? Surely something is happening out there in the world of ... the world!
So, in direct violation of HIPAA laws, Oklahoma has introduced legislationthat would require abortion providers to make public the following information.
1. Date of abortion 2. County in which abortion performed 3. Age of mother 4. Marital status of mother (married, divorced, separated, widowed, or never married) 5. Race of mother 6. Years of education of mother (specify highest year completed) 7. State or foreign country of residence of mother 8. Total number of previous pregnancies of the mother Live Births Miscarriages Induced Abortions.
Now, make any argument for or against abortion that you'd like but releasing that information is a violation of civil liberties and basic human decency. I understand the point of it. Releasing it makes abortion a less attractive option; this is simply a deterrent to prevent abortions.
Now, I think that it should be the aim of all sides of the abortion issue to reduce the number of abortions performed down to 0. The difference is that the radicals of the anti-abortion crowd thinks the best way to do it is by punishing those that get abortion. Not a productive strategy.
So what's the better option? There's always adoption. But Oklahoma doesn't seem to want to promote that option. If they did, they might fight to reduce the cost of adoption, which can range from $5,000 to $50,000. Or perhaps provide better funding to adoptive and foster homes.
We can all agree that the abortion issue is a tough one. But there's no one strategy that is going to make either side happy. Will Oklahoma reduce the number of abortions by following through with this plan? I could see a handful of women opting to go to another state, or possibly choosing adoption to avoid this public shaming, but I sincerely doubt it will have a serious impact on the number of abortions performed in the state. This is not the answer.
Thus ends your sermon for the week. Please rise for the Hymn.
Honestly, my initial reaction was "why chemical castration? Lets string them up by their sexual organs (internal or otherwise)." I mean we should take all steps necessary to protect people from being trespassed upon in the most private way possible -- especially those that cannot protect themselves. And that's what the bill is aimed at. And laws like this are concurrent with the American government's view on sexual material containing children: one of the reasons for the zero-tolerance approach to fighting child pornography (other than the obvious need to protect children from becoming victims of such heinous things) is because child-pornography (more than any other type of pornography) encourages sexual crimes. What better way to discourage crime than to simply remove the urge to commit the crime?
Sometimes, I'll get poo-poo'd on when I bring up the purpose of our corrections department. However, the original intent in the United States was to rehabilitate criminals. Now, I'll absolutely concede that we have moved away from that, and we now use it as a tool to defer, and more commonly to punish. But if we take the stated view of prison as the reason for sentencing people (that we are to rehabilitate rather than exploit), this type of legislation would fly in the face of our stated goals.
But that's not why I would oppose such legislation here in America. It may just be my jaded view, but I know that we would castrate the wrong people. In America, children can be charged with statutory rape if there is a greater than 2 year difference between those engaging in sex. While I don't think a 17 year old should be sleeping with a 15 year old, I don't think the term rape should apply. I'd say the same thing about an 18 year old sleeping with a 16 or 17 year old.
This news hits the same week that we've been confronted with Mackenzie Phillips' allegations of incest -- the most egregious form of sexual assault and a violation of trust. As sick as sexual assault in all of its forms is to me, incest is one of two crimes that just makes me hate humanity (the other being child-rape). And being forced to confront these evil things does not make my opposition to the Polish legislation any easier...Hell, one of the most egregious crimes from Poland's recent past was committed by the sick and deranged Josef Fritzl. But no matter how rape and incest make us feel, it is important to note the damage that castration (even of the chemical kind) can do. Although we have learned that we can reverse some of the effects of chemical castration, there is no guarantee that a reversal of the procedure can be achieved -- and more importantly, in some rare cases, it is possible to be more physically aroused after being castrated. Does that really fix the problem?
Not much needs to be said about this video. Watching people dance just generally makes me incredibly happy. We need more dancing, choreographed or not. Although the idea of "spontaneous" public dancing needs to be done more.
The above phrase is something that has become somewhat of a mantra for me. I think there's certain things that some people need to take the time to learn again. I'm currently learning that this is something I need to do as a father as well as someone looking for a job (cross your fingers for me, would you please?).
I figure this would be a good thing for me to do as a blogger as well. We just haven't been getting the updates as frequently as I'd like. So I'm hoping to blog it out once a week.
So in keeping with the Church theme, I'm going to try and focus on updating on Sundays. It would mean only one update a week, but honestly, that's more than we've been known to update. So now that the blog is over a year old, and we have a small gathering, I'd like to turn things around a little.
As for Science, Ian, and the other contributors, they can update as they wish, but I really hope to build the blog's readership.
I'd also like to take the time to re-post the very first posting we had here. I guess it's the closest thing we have to a mission statement, and it's something that I'm kind of proud of as it really sums up what we're all about. We're not a church that promotes one way of worship, but all ways of worship.
The First Church of Reason:
Welcome to our Church. We are a collection of Agnostics, Atheists, and Theists of all kinds. Our mission is simple: we want to create a new way of worship that exercises reason and praises beauty. We celebrate music, art, literature, film, culture, society, faith, history, honor, friendship, love, family and many other things of this and other worlds. This blog will be used as a place where we can openly and publicly celebrate these ideals, and show when they are being trespassed upon. Thanks for looking, and Welcome to the Church of What's Happening Now.
This is a very old practice that has a lot of meaning. I'm not a History professor, so you're gonna have to either trust me, google it, or learn symbolism. But this is something that has only been done by the worst guys (well, maybe not theworst guy).
I'm not going to proselytize, but I would like to offer my thoughts to the Iranian people -- people that are fighting and dying for something many in the United States take for granted, or just ignore.
Many of my friends and family members know I'm yearning for a Republican candidate I can vote for. The closest I have come to voting for the big R was in 2008 with John McCain, and frankly that wasn't even close. Social conservatives and neo-cons have made the Republican pretty toxic.
It's not that I hate the Democratic party, but I am on the other side of the aisle when it comes to government size and spending. Of course the problem with this line of thinking is that Karl Rove and GWB's vision of a small government isn't much different than Barack Obama and Bill Clinton's vision of a large government; the spending is pretty close to being the same in non-stimulus years (a product of an administration drunk on essence of money-juice). So the proper response to all of those crazy problems we had to deal with in the wake of incredible fiscal irresponsibility (especially in the view of a Democrat) was to spend our way out of it, something I was begrudgingly on board with (given the size and scope of the problem, we had to do something, and damned if I knew what it was). And we're all familiar with the conservative refrain: Obama=Socialist.
Uncle Sam wants you driving one of his cars, writing checks at one of his banks, and using his health insurance. Are we saving the economy or headed toward socialism?
Now that's silly. The government trying to protect American wealth and conserve jobs is not socialism, especially given that these specific reactions were to very unique problems. If anything, this environment is closer to Corporatism than anything resembling socialism. But when I was lurking around the lefty blogs, this was a response offered by Liberal blogger John Amoto of crooksandliars.com (as well as the response given to anything even remotely bad that a democrat has done lately)
I'd like to remind Chris Wallace that Uncle Sam under George Bush gave us terrorist attacks, two wars, torture, illegal wiretapping, a stock market crash and almost destroyed the world's global financial markets and much much more in eight years. I could think of many more, but you get the idea.
Now, I'm certainly no GWB fan, but this cannot be the response to each and every hiccup this administration faces. It makes me angry that people think this is an answer to anything that is happening today. I mean (I know it's a long-shot, but,) what happens if in 2012, we all agree that Barack Obama is the worst president ever? No discussion, we just know, Obama is the worst president ever. What happens then? Is the answer still going to be "well it's GWB's fault!" That's just stupid, and it helps nothing.
EDIT::: To be clear, there are several Republicans I would -- and even a scant few that I have -- voted for, I meant for President. Sorry for the confusion.
The Grim Weeper (aka Glenn Beck) is back. I can only hope this is some sort of Andy Kaufman type gimmick. Chances of that are not so good.
Gun sales are going up through the roof.
And let me tell you something, I really truly believe the reason why — a lot of Americans aren’t paying attention to this — is because they…does anybody remember the poem, you know, first they came for the Jews and I didn’t stand up because I wasn’t a Jew? Do you know that — from Germany?
In the end, I think this is the problem. First, they came for the banks. I wasn’t a banker. I didn’t really care. I didn’t stand up and say anything.
Then they came for the AIG executives. Then they came for the car companies — and I didn’t say anything.
Until it gets down to you — most people don’t see they are coming for you at some point. You’re on the list. Everybody’s on the list.
I'm not reading between the lines. He is explicitly telling people to take up arms to stop a phantom facio-Marxist regime from coming after them. I don't know if I should laugh or cry. If you have seen his website or forums, you know he has the fan base that are predisposed to buying into this silliness.
I love this weekend. It's almost like a fresh start, but it never lives up to what we're told it should be. It's just a lot of fun to have the idea that all of these kids can take your team to the Super Bowl, even though it's about 50/50 that the kids make an impact the year they are drafted.
Given the importance of the weekend, I'd like to do my own little mock draft.
1.) With the first pick of the 2009 COWHN draft, the Church of Scientology takes: The talking Donkey from the book of Numbers. This pick is easy to understand. A talking donkey? What would get the kids involved in the movement of Scientology more than that? But that's beside the point, this Donkey has a higher Thetan level than even John Travolta's boyfriend (allegedly).
2.) With the second overall pick of the 2009 COWHN draft, The Church Of What's Happening Now selects: Job! After hearing about his hardships, the Church of What's Happening Now decided to give this man of God a good home after a rough season. Why is he always picked on? I don't get it. Boils? Really? Boils? Man, that's rough. Besides, his illusions are amazing (tricks are what a whore does for money).
3.) The third pick in the COWHN draft belonged to the Catholics but in a surprise move, they traded down (although terms of the deal are sketchy, apparently the Catholic Church recieved Martin Luther so he could end his career where it started), although they really could have used a good offensive lineman, the Pope made the trade saying "We don't believe in protection." (Waka Waka!!!)
3.) The third pick in the draft goes to the Westboro Baptist Church, and they select: Jesus Christ. But like John Elway and Eli Manning before him, Jesus refuses to join the team. "Apparently these Assholes weren't paying attention to anything I had to say. These guys are fucking nuts!" Jesus told ESPN (through ESP).
There you have it the top 3 picks of the 2009 Church of What's Happening Now draft.
I can no longer live the lie. I have seen the light some time ago, and Xenu be damned, I can't keep it to myself anymore. The truth is here!
Now, I'm not suggesting you read the whole thing at once. To do so would leave you a quivering mass in your own filth (THAT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST!!!!), your puny human brain simply could not fathom the great truth revealed within.
Human beings were created (that is, invented) via genetic experiments that were conducted by reptilian aliens. These reptilian aliens, also known as the "Anunnaki" or the "Reptilians," still rule the Earth to this day...Ironically enough, however--and this is indeed one huge irony--by you worshipping science and thinking that it will lead you to the truth, you are actually preventing the Reptilians from ever being exposed. This is because the Reptilians are the very ones who created science. Therefore, you cannot use science against them in order to expose them; that would be nonsensical. In fact, science already has safeguards against this kind of stuff (i.e., according to science, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, aliens do not exist).
There. Flawless Logic. Space Logic, even; Dawkins eat your heart out.
Not to mention:
It is indeed tragic that men cannot satisfy their sexual needs without also getting trapped in a relationship at the same time (otherwise, they will be accused of rape, since non-relationship consensual sex does not exist on Earth, due to the aforementioned programming of women). Demonic enslavement traps such as this are the standard modus operandi of the Reptilians and Darkness. Now, just imagine if you had to buy an entire pizza restaurant just to order a pizza; an evil absurdity indeed.
Another thing that makes women insufferable is the fact that they are, essentially, babies. That is, they possess the emotional maturity of a 4-year-old boy. Women cry, throw fits, and need men to take care of them. Um, adults shouldn't need someone else to take care of them.
Is this really news to anyone? Honestly!
So you say to yourself, okay, I see the light. No. Wrong. I laugh at how foolishly wrong you are thusly: HA!
So, during my thrice daily online news roundup (Drudge Report, the Huffington Post, International Herald Tribune, BBC, heck sometimes Al Jazera) I came upon an article that piqued my interest.
Much of the these initial stages of the Obama Administration have been spent just cleaning up the mess of the last eight years. That is, getting the government back to work I suppose, not to mention the vast majority of time spent hiring and firing and deliberating on who works for the government, who works for the people, and who had an agenda contrary to democracy. Gotta love those slow creaky gears of the republic eh? You can practically hear Rahm Emanuel spreading grease.
But, many think (myself included at times), that Barack Obama will end up being less of a progressive, than the moderate-if not somewhat comprising, figure...closer to Clinton the triangulator than say FDR or even Eisenhower (come on, he really defended the New Deal from his own Party).
For instance, Obama reduced the real life issue of revisiting the country's Marajuana Laws to a joke, a jest, a media friendly chuckle. In this case the question was worded poorly. It asked, in part, that wouldn't the legalization of marajuana be a an economic boon to the lagging U.S. economy.
First, the step needed to correct the long lost War on Drugs is decriminalization. This question also overlooks the obvious. How much money has been and continues to be wasted on the loosing war? How much is spent criminalizing whole swathes of the American public and incarcerating them? How much money can be spent to protect people from a plant? Whatever, I am getting too far from the article.
So, my concern is that Barack Obama is too much a moderate, unwilling or unable to correct the multitudes of errors made this past century. Daunting task? You betcha. But then i read this article, linked via the Huffington Post.
Ok, so what if Obama doesn't posture like the macho cowboy or bang his fist on the bully pulpit. The real deal of politics is what goes on behind the scenes. If this is any indication, we have a lot to look forward to.
I've been on a huge Magic Numbers kick again. This is one of those songs that just explains it, there's only so many words that you can throw together and have it make sense, but this is a perfect example of how it can be done. And as far as love songs go, it's up there with "Buckets of Rain" by Bob Dylan.
As well as the faithful readers of this blog, this is dedicated to the love of my life, Science (the person, not the methodological study of the world).
So many gems in this Tract: - Bulimia - Characature of Pope Ratzi - Apparently the Catholoc Church is still selling indulgence - The above attempt at connecting with the hip crowd - The bashing with a broad stick of all religion - And keep an eye out for what I think is Stone Cold Steve Austin!
I'm not a big fan of Judge Judy -- of course I'm not a fan of TV judges in general -- But I find Judge Judy in particular to be shrill, annoying, and off-putting. But this piece was brought to my attention by an old friend from high school (thanks Katy). Larry King brings up Prop 8, and Judy Sheindlin offers a brief and stirring call for common sense (and yes, I get it, Judge Judy is not what I would call the summit of rationality, but this was quite a moving message from her). Plus if you don't like Judy or Larry King, you might like Larry King telling Judy that she'll "never make it" to 2013.
Here's a bit of fun from Shep Smith of Fox News. Personally I've had less beef with Smith, he seems less of a tool I guess. I've always wondered whether a FOX News pundit, pinhead, whatever would go ballistic on air. Of course, this isn't him loosing it, but I wonder whether his personal pride had been insulted by the FOX News handjob handed to Glenn Beck and his inane idiocy, his lowest common denominator appeal. Seriously, Glenn Beck is a wackjob who needs to have his comeuppance.
I'm looking forward to Shep Smith cracking (maybe), to let the freaky truth spill from his forked tongue, a la Howard Beale.
