Tomorrow will be the auction out at the farm. All of my grandparent’s tractors, cars, farm equipment will be sold. If you’re interested in coming out, you can find out more info from the Bridge’s Auction website
Middle East
Besides the fact that Carter has a firm grasp on the situation and a just understanding of the rights of all parties involved… Carter is so dang smart. Sheesh, Bush is a nice guy but I don’t think he is smart to handle this situation.
Blogging
Spirituality
Frankly, I am growing weary of the constant jokes about Catholics. I am not Catholic but there is so much in that faith tradition that I admire and respect. It disgusts me that hating/denigrating Catholics seems to be the last form of “acceptable” bigotry in America today.
“One out of seven Catholics in this nationwide poll … said their faith has been shaken and they might leave the church,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the polling institute at the Hamden, Conn., university.
I agree that the Bishops who concealed abuse must resign, and I think that Bishop (or is it a Cardinal? I forget.) of Boston should resign ASAP. He is doing more damage than good by remaining.
Science
Middle East
Yet, as a Christian I am faced with a very difficult issue? Why did God support that very position?
In the Old Testament (aka the Jewish scriptures) we read of how God took a people out of captivity (certainly a noble thing that has inspired liberation movements throughout history) into a new land where they conqueor the inhabitants and wipe them off the face of the earth. In some cases (i.e. Jericho) God even instructed them to totally anihilate the inhabitants, including women and children. I don’t know about you, but this is extremely troubling.
Now fast forward to today. Does God still show that kind of favoritism, and want the people of Israel to have a protected position in their land and to wipe out the native inhabitants of the land?
I do not think so. The reason I would argue is that the Jesus in inaugerating the New Covenant extended Israel’s covenant relationship to all who would follow Him. This new Kingdom was also different than the previous nation of Israel in that it was a spiritual kingdom and not a physical one.
There are so many difficult questions here though. I guess I’ll just have to respectfully disagree with those who favor Israel’s position over all others, and have to hold to faith in a Lord who inaugerated a new covenental relationship to ALL NATIONS.
Boy this story hit me a like a locomotive. Peggy Noonan is so right here, and makes me wonder how much our efforts to bring peace through politics and war are really just ourselves chasing the wind.
Civil Liberties
Interestingly enough, the site that sued to prevent consumers from discussing their bad experienes must have chickened out since the publishing of this story (Petswarehouse.com at least right now is off-line). However, the damage has already been done with many folks settling out of court for thousands of dollars for supposedly libeling this business. Frankly though, I don’t like to see people who oppress free speech get off so easy, so here is the contact information for petswarehouse.com, found via whois:
If you think this situation is absurd, please call or email ‘Bob’ and let him know how you feel.
East Asia
Standing side-by-side and speaking in Portuguese — the language of former colonial ruler Portugal but which many of Timor’s youth barely understand — the two men discussed a range of topics for two hours. At the end, they embraced.
Science
American Indian Issues
United Native Americans are proud to announce that it has bought the state of California from the Whites and is throwing it open to Indian settlement.
UNA bought California from three winos found wandering in San Francisco. UNA decided the winos were the spokesmen for the White people of California. These winos promptly signed the treaty, which was written in Sioux, and sold California for three bottles of wine, one bottle of gin, and four cases of beer.
Leyman L. Brightman, the Commissioner of Caucasian Affairs, has announced the following new policies: The Indians hereby give the Whites four large reservations of ten acres each at the following locations; Death Valley; The Utah Salt Flats; The Badlands of South Dakota; and the Yukon in Alaska. These reservations shall belong to the whites “for as long as the sun shines or the grass grows” (or until the Indians want it back.)
All land on the reservations, of course, will be held in trust for the Whites by the Bureau of Caucasian Affairs, and any White person who wants to use his land in any way must secure permission from Commissioner Brightman.
Of course, Whites will be allowed to sell trades and handicrafts at stands by the highway. Each White will be provided annually with one blanket, one pair of tennis shoes, a supply of Spam, and a copy of The Life of Crazy Horse.
If your are competent enough, you will be able to be a BCA reservation superintendent. Applicants must have less than one year of education, must not speak English, must have an authoritarian personality, proof of dishonesty, and a certificate of incompetence. No Whites need apply. Commissioner Brightman also announced the founding of four boarding schools, to which White youngsters will be sent at the age of six (6). “We want to take those kids far away from the backward culture of their parents,” he said. The schools will be located on Alcatraz Island; the Florida Everglades; Point Barrow, Alaska; and New York, New York.
All courses will be taught in Indian languages, and there will be demerits for anyone caught speaking English. All students arriving at the school will immediately be given IQ tests to determine their understanding of Indian Language and hunting skills.
Hospitals will be established for the reservations as follows: Whites at Death Valley may go to the Bangor, Maine Hospital; those at the Utah Salt Flats may go to Juneau, Alaska Hospital; those at the Yukon may go to the Miami Beach Hospital; and those at the Badlands may go to the Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. Each hospital will have a staff of two part-time doctors and a part-time chiropractor who have all passed first aid tests. And each hospital will be equipped with a scalpel, a jack knife, a saw, a modern tourniquet, and a large bottle of aspirin.
In honor of the Whites, many cities, sports teams, street cars, and products will be given traditional White names.
One famous Indian movie director has even announced that in his upcoming film, Custer’s Last Stand, he will use many actual Whites to play the parts of soldiers, speaking real English, although, of course, the part of Custer will be played by noted Indian actor Jay Silverheels.
Certain barbaric White customs will, of course, not be allowed. Whites will not be allowed to practice their heathen religions, and will be required to attend Indian ceremonies. Missionaries will be sent from each tribe to convert the Whites on the reservations. White churches will either be made into amusement parks, museums, or will be torn down and the bricks and ornaments sold as souvenirs and curiosities.
–Author Unknown (edited)
Regional: Oklahoma
I spent my first night in my new place in downtown Newcastle, OK. Still lots of work to do this weekend, but at least I now have a place to sleep and take a shower.
Middle-East
I don’t agree with him on some points (I think war is wrong no matter what.) but I do appreciate his insight into seeing the hypocrisy of most people’s views on war and terrorism. It seems like it is war when the good guys act in violence, but terrorism when the bad guys (or the dark-skinned guys, or the poor guys) do it.
I ask how is the Palestinian response to occupation any different than the French Resistance response to occupation?
If a Jewish suicide bomber had elected to blow up Adolf Hitler in 1935, would they have saved 5 million Jewish lives from being tragically lost later? If so, then is terrorism ever justified to contest an opposing regime with violence at its heart?
Why is a suicide bomber a terrorist for killing civilians but a soldier who kills civilians is not a terrorist? For if a soldier is not a terrorist for killing civilians, then human morality has declined quite alot since the My Lai massacre, hasn’t it Secretary Powell?
Why is it that many folks say that punishing all of Arthur Andersen’s employees for the actions of a few is not fair, yet when all of the
Palestinians are punished for the actions of a few that it is fair?
Why do we not compensate those who lost their life savings due to corporate terrorists at Enron while we compensate those who lost their lives to international terrorists at the World Trade Center?
Why is it that if we say Israeli aggression cannot solve the problem of terrorism that the U.S. expects to do any better with their stinking war against terrorism?
Why is it 3000 American lives lost is more important than 3000 Afghani lives lost?
Why is it if we, citizens of the United States are so free, have more citizens, per capita, than any almost any other country locked up in prison?
Why is the Democratic Party so racist against Arab peoples of the world?
Could someone answer these questions and enlighten me?
Since it seems the United States has no intention of ending their own fillthy double standards, I urge the world to come together, unify in a vast coaltion designed to isolate the United States and contain U.S. aggression before, YOU, country by country, tragically become the victim of it. Unify in global strength and collective solidarity for peace!!!
eric2001@pacbell.net