'Tis the season

For whinin' and bitchin' for no particular reason!!

I'm tired of incompetence-- from the gift wrapper at Mervyn's to the easily butt-hurt "marketing specialist"!

The other day, I waited 45 minutes for a high school girl to wrap two items and then I PAID her for it?! Albeit, she is a high school student. Maybe cheerleader tryouts were earlier that day or she skipped her cracker for lunch? She was very proud and meticulous in her work, but STILL!

My marketing person became defensive and belligerent when I called her to the mat on her poor service!? It is like I'm dealing with another high school girl with the way this adult "professional" acts. I can’t believe that professionals take it personal when you want tangible results!? She actually made this statement to me---“Your business is not a “big corporation” or Fortune 500 company—it is just a little business, so your planned event can't be considered as extensive.”

She thought she was going to take a little business and impress me with her limited skills? I don’t think she has taken into account that I have done advertising before and worked with vendors and events before. I guess I give the impression that I just stepped off a turnip truck?
I don’t understand how a professional can get their feelings hurt and consider not doing business with someone because they get called on their mediocrity.
REFERRALS---what a lot of these women don’t understand is that when they screw me over---I never mention their name to anyone again and if I do it is in a negative light. I may be a small business, but just one of my clients could equal several for them!

I have one piece of advice for lack luster ladies:

"learn to fuckin' type, 'cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent you're in for a big fuckin' surprise."

Sincerely yours,

Scrooge!

Servus Servorum Dei

Capitalist Christian Vs. Socialist Atheist?

I was skimming radio stations this weekend and stumbled across a random conservative talk-show. He (I didn't stay long enough to memorize the host's name) was attacking the platform of an atheist speaker. This is what I heard: "This guy (the speaker/author) is a socialist atheist. If you are against capitalism, you are against Christianity and religion!"
This radio talk show host was essentially equating capitalism with religious faith and implying that the two are inseparable?
WTF??
I have atheist/agnostic tendencies AND I'm fervently pro-capitalism! Where does that leave me? I'm destined to wander aimlessly in "limbo" between heaven and hell because I'm not a socialist, but I'm not a christian either? Help me out here? On what planet does his comment make sense?
Then I thought to myself: "Self, isn't organized religion exactly like socialism?". Think about it: In socialism, the means of production are controlled by the people's elected representatives or controlled by the community of people directly. The "State" acts in the best interest of the people.
If we apply the idea of socialism to a church and religion, could the "people's representative" be say, a Pope or Priest?
The "State" that acts in the best interest of the people could very easily be replaced with the concept of the church hierarchy. The heavenly hierarchy prefer to be known collectively as the "Servus Servorum Dei (Servant of the Servants of God)".
Tithing is an economic parallel between socialism and church politics. Most churches/religions have some sort of dues requirement whether it is the literal 10% or not. "In recent years, tithing has been taught in Christian circles as a form of "stewardship" that God requires of Christians.
There has also been much controversy with the introduction of "membership covenants" in many evangelical churches in North America, spearheaded by many mega-churches. These covenants, such as those introduced at the Willow Creek and Saddleback mega-churches, require giving 10% to that church as a condition of membership. Prospective members must sign off on a contract and are interviewed regarding their lifestyle, including tithing.
Germany levies a church tax, on all persons declaring themselves to be Christians, of roughly 8-9% of the income tax, which is effectively (very much depending on the social and financial situation) typically between 0.2% and 1.5% of the total income. The proceeds are shared amongst Catholic, Lutheran, and other Protestant Churches. In 1933 Hitler had the entry "church tax" added to the official tax card, which meant that the tax could now be deducted by the employer like any of the other taxes." (Wikipedia)

Winston Churchill: "A socialist policy is abhorrent to the British ideas of freedom. Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the object worship of the state. It will prescribe for every one where they are to work, what they are to work at, where they may go and what they may say. Socialism is an attack on the right to breathe freely. No socialist system can be established without a political police. They would have to fall back on some form of Gestapo, no doubt very humanely directed in the first instance."

Hmmm....if we replace a couple of Churchill's references to "Socialism" with "the church" does it seem so out of place?

“As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for Socialism is its adherents” George Orwell

In summation---conservative religion seems more in line with the socialist than the capitalist!!

Down n' Dirty

My name is mud, but call me alowishus devadander abercrombie.

While I would have preferred a mustache ride, I ended up accidentally on a mud bog ride. I'm sure a more prudent person would have seen the bumpy,muddy,road with huge puddles as an obstacle and immediately turned around. Not me! One of my many aliases is "Adventure Girl" and I'm not one to turn down an unknown variable. I patted my trusty stick shift and put the ol' girl in gear (not me--I'm not THAT old yet--in keeping with sailor tradition, I'm assuming my car is female). You may recall that my car is a generic four door/compact sedan with safety paneling. My car has never seen 4WD except in the movies,the tread on the tires IS worse for wear, and it is very low to the ground (no raised under carriage for this girl--she is a prude if not prudent--I'm talking about the car again). I began my decent into uncharted, slippery, gooey times and chanted my favorite Disney quote to myself: "Don’t look backwards for very long. Keep moving forward… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” OK! About a quarter of mile later, I made it out unscathed and I felt a sense of self-adulation. "That a girl!" I had a mannish glee about me (not mannish hands though--thank goodness)! I surveyed my muddy car with pride--noting how the mud splatters reached the top of the car and coated my tires in mire! I yearn for a hybrid Jeep more than a nice Mercedes I guess. A convertible SL 550 probably would not see the light of day if I was left to my meandering ways! Now, where did I put those truck balls (I'll paint 'em pink and call 'em ovaries)!!?

MUD IS FUN!

Fluorescent Felines

South Korean Kong Il-Keun's team cloned cats after modifying a gene to change their skin colour. To clone the cats, Kong's team used skin cells of the mother cat. They modified its genes to make them fluorescent by using a virus, which was transplanted into the ova. The ova were then implanted into the womb of the donor cat.

Wow! The uses of a flourescent feline are endless.

• You could attach your keys to their collar and never loose track of the keys at night again!


• You could match your pet cats to your skittles.


• You could find all the annoying cat hair on your furniture and clothes just by flashing an ultraviolet light.


• They would be the hit at any "Rave".


• Hmmmm....what about Reindeer? Could there possibly be a "genuine" Rudolf with this technology? Come on Korea! Show us what you got!

And now for something completely different....

Most men have at least seen a Playboy wax job I presume, many women may not be familiar. Women if you want more visits from Colonel Angus, go to your waxing expert just in time for Christmas and the mistletoe!

Don't see this movie!

I received this alarming email a few months ago:

Please pass this on. Hello Friends!There is an anti-Christian movie (written by an atheist, Philip Pullman of England) called The Golden Compass coming out on December 7 (just in time for Christmas). It stars Nicole Kidman, so it will be getting a lot of publicity. Philip despises C.S Lewis and Narnia, and his goal is to "kill GOD in the minds of children". An article written about him labels him "the most dangerous author in Britain!" He has written 3 books that all promote atheism, and the movie depicts his first book (which is the more watered-down of the 3). His goal is that you see the movie and then that your kids want his trilogy for Christmas…and then it REALLY gets offensive in the second 2 books!! But just to give you a tid-bit of what's in Philip's books…a ex-nun calling Christianity a convincing mistake, 2 characters representing Adam & Eve KILL God (called YAHWEH) in the end, and there's a story about castration & female circumcision! I am blown away by this! It will be targeted toward children and advertised as a fun-holiday flick. Don't fall for it! Here is the snopes article about it to back up what I've been saying… http://snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.aspPLEASE, PLEASE tell everyone you know and love NOT TO SEE THIS MOVIE!! Imagine how our children's little minds would absorb these awful lies! Let's get the word out and fight back!!! Boycott The Golden Compass!!

Now, my interest was piqued because I had bought that series for my daughter several months earlier. I thought to myself: "Oh no! She has already read the text, what do I do to curb her spiral down into hell?"---Nah, just jk---I actually really WANTED to see the movie and read the book (maybe more-so because it was forbidden fruit--and we all know about women and forbidden fruit right?). My child and I both saw the movie yesterday and while there was a very strong metephorical comparison to a "church-like" entity, demon familiars, and flying witches it wasn't anything more or less horrific and anti-christian than "Lord of the Rings" or "Narnia". Here is another take on the film from a good christian gal: http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=724&NewsID=858422&CategoryID=16783&on=1

I want to buy the world a coke.....

And a McDonald's,a theme park,and a walmart.........The U.S. has conquered with capitalism, why the need to exert more force and imperialism?

Make money not war!

In God we Trust....

One small step for believers, One giant leap for secular humanists!

Pearl Harbor

As I reflect on Pearl Harbor with deepest sadness,gratitude, and respect for our American veterans (including my much-loved grandfather), I can't help but compare the U.S. stand on international affairs during WWII to now.
The U.S. was a reluctant participant in WWII, forced to go on the defense after being bombed in Hawaii. One major objective of that war was to end the ceaseless tyranny of Nazi Europe and Japan.
Today's war path against Iraq and the "Axis of Evil" appears to be anti-terrorism on the surface, but with the addition of terms like "Evil" it stinks of a more sinister religious basis. The Iraq conflict is an offensive maneuver--the U.S. is seeking more religious and economic power. 9/11 was a tragedy of horrific proportions and has instilled fear and hatred in Americans, but how did the behavior of an extremist group come to represent the whole of Iraq aggression? While I don't agree with much of Arab customs and politics (I condemn and hate most), it makes me wonder if left alone, would these countries evolve to a higher humanist purpose over time? Discovering the poet and Arab nationalist,Nizar Qabbani, opened my eyes to the fact that their are activists for reason and equality in every race and country. Is it the "job" or right of the U.S. to impose its might and wrath on smaller/weaker people of different ideals? The Arab/U.S. conflict is in realty, a Judeo-Christian indignation at the audacity of others to differ in opinion, culture, and religion (whether you agree or disagree with the conflict--you have to admit it is a deep-seated "my religion and beliefs are better than yours" mission). So, am I Patriotic for seeking a humanist understanding or am I not a patriot for condemning Bush's crusade (in realty Bush is not his own man--he is owned and indebted to the church--as most politicians are owned by major parties)? What a day to bring up the ugly side of today's America or what a day to remember those who gave their lives to help end the suffering of Europe and protect the U.S. from threat in the 1940's?
In an ironic twist, I will share another Arabic poem by Nizar Qabbani
"A Lesson In Drawing"

My son places his paint box in front of me
and asks me to draw a bird for him.
Into the color gray I dip the brush
and draw a square with locks and bars.
Astonishment fills his eyes:
"… But this is a prison, Father,
Don't you know, how to draw a bird?"
And I tell him: "Son, forgive me.
I've forgotten the shapes of birds."

My son puts the drawing book in front of me
and asks me to draw a wheatstalk.
I hold the pen
and draw a gun.
My son mocks my ignorance,
demanding,
"Don't you know, Father, the difference between a
wheatstalk and a gun?"
I tell him, "Son,
once I used to know the shapes of wheatstalks
the shape of the loaf
the shape of the rose
But in this hardened time
the trees of the forest have joined
the militia men
and the rose wears dull fatigues
In this time of armed wheatstalks
armed birds
armed culture
and armed religion
you can't buy a loaf
without finding a gun inside
you can't pluck a rose in the field
without its raising its thorns in your face
you can't buy a book
that doesn't explode between your fingers."

My son sits at the edge of my bed
and asks me to recite a poem,
A tear falls from my eyes onto the pillow.
My son licks it up, astonished, saying:
"But this is a tear, father, not a poem!"
And I tell him:
"When you grow up, my son,
and read the diwan of Arabic poetry
you'll discover that the word and the tear are twins
and the Arabic poem
is no more than a tear wept by writing fingers."

My son lays down his pens, his crayon box in
front of me
and asks me to draw a homeland for him.
The brush trembles in my hands
and I sink, weeping.

Blue Thursday Poetry

Nizar Qabbani
1923-1998, written in 1980

Letter from a Stupid Woman (to a man)

Don't criticize me, Master
If my writing is poor
For I write and the sword is behind my door
And beyond the room is the sound of wind and howling dogs
My master!
'Antar al Abys is behind my door!
He will butcher me
If he saw my letter
He will cut my head off
If I spoke of my torture
He will cut my head off
If he saw the sheerness of my clothes
For your East, my dear Master,
Surrounds women with spears
And your East, my dear Master
elects the men to become Prophets,
and buries the women in the dust.

That Which we Call a Rose

Wherefore art thou Muhammad?

From the International Herald http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/04/europe/london.php: "The teddy bear ordeal began in September when Gibbons, who taught at one of the most exclusive private schools in Khartoum, started a project on animals and asked her class to suggest a name for a teddy bear. The class voted resoundingly for Muhammad.
Gibbons told her pupils to take the teddy bear home, photograph it and write a diary entry about it. Most of her students were Muslim and the children of wealthy Sudanese families.

The incident became an international cause célèbre, with Britons - both Muslim and non-Muslim - expressing outrage at Gibbons's arrest and thousands of protesters in Sudan calling for her to be put to death."

Silly Allah,imbuing kids and women with creativity and thoughtfulness! What was Allah doing during that part of his creation of "man"--smoking a doobie? If he was so all-seeing and powerful, wouldn't he eliminate the urge of kids to want to edify the Prophet Muhammad in a well-loved child's toy? It seems odd that he would want a woman put to death for the mistakes of the children of his followers (it would stand to reason though when one thinks in circles like religious zealots).
How about "towel-headed" bear? That is much more descriptive and it blissfully omits the cursed word "Muhammad" (is it a coincidence that Muhammad ends in "MAD"? I think not)!

How ironic that the American man who the Teddy bear is named after, President Teddy Roosevelt had this to say during his era: "The world would have halted had it not been for the Teutonic conquests in alien lands; but the victories of Moslem over Christian have always proved a curse in the end. Nothing but sheer evil has come from the victories of Turk and Tartar".

But as Americans can we say that we have separated church from state (education)? Let me share an anecdote with you: I was explaining evolution to some high school students one day. I was met with an extremely distraught and tearful young woman who lamented that her Christian belief had been affronted by the PBS show on evolution. The principle then coached me to tell the girl that "creationism" was a valid alternative to the theory of evolution? Years and years and volumes of scientific evidence is comparable to creationism? OK!?

There are places in the U.S. where Mormon churches are erected at the same time as schools and in conspicuous proximity to our learning institutions (I use the term loosely). Mormon students are allowed to take a "period" of their day to pursue the teachings of Latter Day Saints at the adjoining church. What about the thousands of other religions? Can you imagine how unproductive it would be if all the Christian, Muslim, Catholic, Buddhist, Pagan,Protestants,Hindus,Sikhs,Jews,agnostics, and atheists all built huge edifices in the name of their respective gods and commenced to get their learn on? Where would the education begin? Is it because the Mormon religion has a nice, white, shiny cover of mostly aryan race and polite manners? Help me jog my memory---hasn't something similar like this happened in the past with dire results?

Be afraid my friends (especially of the female persuasion--females are rarely on the winning end of such matters)! Be very afraid!