Rome, GA.

Not quite sure who filmed this, but a Facebook friend found this video on Youtube and posted it. It's the town where I live, Rome GA.

Advent at Ephesus.

A classical music recommendations for those who have Spotify.

Open Spotify and search for "Advent at Ephesus" by the The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.

From EWTN.

"The program takes viewers inside the home of these contemplative sisters for a look at their simple life and the music that fills their every day at the Priory of Our Lady of Ephesus, tucked away in the rolling farmland of northwest Missouri.
'Our way of life here is truly one of great peace and tranquility,' said Mother Cecilia, the Prioress of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. 'Since not everybody can come here – and since we’re not going out into the world – ADVENT AT EPHESUS is a way that we can just give a little taste of our life and let people experience it and be part of it.' ”

Obama in Burma.

From the Burmese website, irrawaddy.org, comes this delightful photo of a mural somewhere in Burma, welcoming Barack Obama to the country. I gather that this mural was intended to be complimentary to the President.

Oddly, it reminds me of the famous Barack Obama "Joker" poster.

Maybe he should use this photo as the new, official White House portrait.

Betray Who?

Back in the day when David Petraeus was George Bush's boy, the Left liked to refer to him has "General Betray-us". Cute, right?

When he became Obama's man as director of the C.I.A. we didn't hear that name very often.

After hearing that Petraeus has been involved in an extramarital affair with his biographer,Paula Broadwell, I have to wonder if a better name might have been "betray-his-wife".

I know it's a bit harder to say; it doesn't roll off the tongue the way "betray-us" does, but it's certainly more fitting.

The New America.

Votes for Romney (red) versus Obama (blue) county by county......four more years of gridlock.

Same Crap, Different Day.

Billions spent and nothing is settled.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, leader of Senate Republicans:

"Now it's time for the president to propose solutions that actually have a chance of passing the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and a closely-divided Senate, step up to the plate on the challenges of the moment, and deliver in a way that he did not in his first four years in office," McConnell said. “To the extent he wants to move to the political center, which is where the work gets done in a divided government, we’ll be there to meet him half way."

Bob Dylan....Senile Old Coot?

Last night, in Madison Wisconsin, American's most over-rated singer/songwriter, Bob Dylan, predicted that America's most over-rated politician, Barack Obama would not only be re-elected, but will do so by a landslide.

Has Dylan lost what was left of his mind?

A landslide?

I guess it takes one con man to appreciate another.

The New Look?

Let's make this permanent.

Your First Time.

If Obama's "First Time" ad makes you hurl, check out Steven Crowder's parody.

Quote of the Day.

From WEAU.com comes my favorite quote concerning the Presidential election.

"This is a battleground state. They're trying to win it. I just need some limburger cheese."

A Dunce Cap? Really?

The photo below is a screenshot from "The Obama 2012 campaign's official home on Tumblr".

Really Classy, right?

It's not even quality photoshopping either.

I can't recall any other "official" representative of a Presidential campaign ever putting their opponent in a dunce cap. Is this what you call taking the high road?

I hope you Obama supporters are proud.

Let's Move....uh....FOWARD.

As they say, one picture is worth a thousand words.

Catholic Teaching on "Big Government".

From a recent email from CatholicVote.org.

Dear Friend of CV, The VP debate tonight features two people who profess the Catholic faith.

This will surely put the Catholic Church's teaching in the spotlight.

The CatholicVote.org Education Fund has created many videos explaining the Church's teachings on life, family and religious liberty.

And we'll continue on this important mission.

But tonight' s debate will likely also bring up a discussion on the morality of budgets, how to reduce the national debt, and what role government plays in combating poverty.

Catholics should discover what the Church has to say about these issues. And we certainly can't count on the media to accurately describe the richness of Church teaching on these matters.

That's why today we're launching our new video called: “Charity and Responsibility.”

Yoko Ono awards Lady Gaga LennonOno Grant for Peace.

Setting aside her tin-foil hat and replacing it with a black fedora, Yoko Ono presented the LennonOno Grant for Peace to Lady Gaga in Reykjavik, Iceland just days after Gaga gagged and vomited onstage in Barcelona.

According to an article published at the Huffington Post, Yoko said that "Lady Gaga is a power singer and songwriter that has used her strong position to correct prejudice."

I know I, for one, feel so much safer.

3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday....The Savage Chickens Edition.

I haven't done a 3 1/2 Time Outs Tuesday in quite a long time - today seems like a good day to get back into the swing of things.

LarryD is calling his 3 1/2 T.O.T. for this week The Savage Chickens Edition. He posted a link to website called  Savage Chickens  , along with some pretty funny cartoons found on there.

Being lazier than I should be, I decided to follow Larry's lead and post cartoons from the site as well.  

1)

2)

3)

1/2)

U.S.: Catholic Consensus on Obama Grows.

As if this election year wasn't depressing enough, we have this from lastampa.it :  

"A survey by Pew Research Center reveals that Catholic support for Obama has risen since last June, from 49% to 54%, while Romney is stuck at 39%"

What is wrong with Catholics in this country? In so many area's Obama's policies are diametrically opposed to the teachings of the Church. Obama's views on abortion and same-sex "marriage" are the most obvious but Obama doesn't even believe in the simple notion of subsidiarity , which is one of the basic principles of Catholic social teaching.

Hopefully, before the election  more Catholics will heed the words of Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois when he said  that voting for a candidate who promotes actions or behaviors that are “intrinsically evil and gravely sinful” makes a voter “morally complicit” and places the eternal salvation of his or her soul in “serious jeopardy.”

Unfortunately, the Republican candidate for POTUS, Mitt Romney isn't the perfect candidate, but he is far and away preferable to the current President.

Even if Obama loses, the number of people in this country who think he's the ideal choice is disturbing. This country is currently in self-destruct mode and I'm not at all certain that this situation can be turned around.

First lady: Skip the Pizza Dinners.........

and donate.



I know your life is full — with work, or school, or family — and yet you still find the time to help out when you can.

You may have a tight budget, but you give what you can afford.

A woman recently told the campaign her family skipped a pizza dinner at their favorite place so that they could make a difference in this election.

That is the commitment that drives this campaign.

If you can support Barack with a donation today, please know it makes a huge difference. If we win, it will be because of what you did at moments like this:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Our-Week

Thanks,

Michelle

Déjà vu, all over again.

Clip from the Original Dirty Harry Trailer.

Music.

For the most part, folks seem to develop their tastes in music at a young age. Sadly, it appears that most people don't allow their musical tastes to evolve. I see far too many people from my generation reminiscing about the music that appealed to them during their teen years.

OK, I get it. It's nice to listen to those old Beatle songs, the beach music or the psychedelic music of the 1960's occasionally, but can't we give it a break? There is an overwhelming abundance of music out there from other times and places.



This is the great thing about Spotify. I have access to a universe of wonderful music, a good portion of it new to me. Traditional Japanese and Chinese music, Haydn string quartets, early Jazz and Blues, ....... you can even listen to Old Fart Music if you're so inclined.

My "new find" of the week is the hammer dulcimer work of Joshua Messick. It's not the sort of music you can dance to; it's unlikely it would have been rated highly on American Bandstand , but that's a positive,right?

Liberalism,explained.

Finally, Liberalism and the Democratic Party explained.

Study: Adolescent marijuana use leaves lasting mental deficits.

"Somebody who loses 8 IQ points as an adolescent may be disadvantaged compared to their same-age peers for years to come."

Ann Romney's Convention Speech.

The Unnecessary Professor.

In a piece for The New York Times [Men, Who Needs Them?] Greg Hampikian - a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Boise State University - cheerfully tells his readers that men are not necessary for the survival of the species. As a matter a fact, he appears to believe that the elimination of males would actually be beneficial.

He writes,
"Ultimately the question is, does “mankind” really need men? With human cloning technology just around the corner and enough frozen sperm in the world to already populate many generations, perhaps we should perform a cost-benefit analysis."

Through a Google search, I was able to obtain a photo of the good professor. At the risk of appearing uncharitable, I'd say that many, if not all the women Hampikian has had contact with throughout his life have convinced him that men really aren't necessary.

Paul Ryan and Catholic Social Teaching: A Commentary by Fr. Barron .

Subsidiarity and Solidarity

Peggy Noonan: If Biden Were Republican.........

Is it true that some in the Obama camp are calling him "Joe Burden"?

Updates.

At the risk of stating the obvious, I haven't done much in the way of blogging lately. As a matter of fact, I haven't spent much time visiting other blogs that I had once considered necessary reads.

So, what have I been doing? Reading, mostly.

Currently, I'm in the middle of two books - each one is a sort of relief from the other when either gets a bit overwhelming - Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Dead Man Walking by Sr. Helen Prejean.

The Tolstoy novel is on Kindle. I read the novel once before; back in 1979. I recall enjoying the novel then but it seems as if I've forgotten nearly every detail (just as I had forgotten those portions of Moby Dick that I had read years ago).

Not being able to download a free version of Dead Man Walking , I purchased a used hardcover edition from Amazon.com. This used copy was signed by Sr. Prejean in December, 1993 for someone named Mary Elizabeth. I'd call that bonus, since I only paid $4 for the book....including the cost of shipping.

Back in July, I wrote a post about having downloaded a book from Amazon.com that had been highly reviewed by The Curt Jester. Having read Danny Gospel on the recommendation of that review, I was greatly disappointed. Without going into detail, I'll just say that I do not recommend that book.

What else have I been doing?

This year, the Catholic school where my son is in the First Grade has managed to arrange a leasing agreement with the foreign language giant Rosetta Stone. Any student of the school - or parent of a student - can take an online course, for free, to study any language offered by the company. I've signed up for Tagalog .

I tell myself I should spend a little more effort on this blog. We'll see how that works out.

CatholicVote endorses Romney-Ryan.

From an email I received from CatholicVote.org/

"Dear Friend of CV, CatholicVote endorses Romney-Ryan!

Mitt Romney made his choice.

Today we are making ours.

CatholicVote.org is proud to announce that we are enthusiastically endorsing Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in the 2012 presidential race!

The decision to endorse Romney for President was made after Governor Romney announced Saturday that he had selected Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate.

Congressman Ryan is a superb choice. He is a committed Catholic and a candidate willing to engage in the much-needed debate about the role of government in our society - including the moral dimensions of our ballooning federal government. Paul Ryan actually uses the word 'subsidiarity' and can explain it!

Paul Ryan is also strongly pro-life. He has a 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee. He voted for a constitutional amendment to protect marriage, and he supports school choice. Perhaps most importantly -- Paul Ryan also clearly understands the dangers posed by the HHS mandate, and he will fight as hard as anyone to make sure it is eliminated.

Now consider this....

Many people are heralding the selection of Ryan because of what he represents, and the seriousness that he will inject into the campaign. But the choice of Ryan also tells us something significant about Mitt Romney too: Paul Ryan is the man Mitt Romney believes is best suited to assume the responsibilities of President should that become necessary.

Of all the qualified choices available to him, Mitt Romney chose a dedicated pro-life Catholic to help him turn the country around.

While some predicted Romney would select a "safe" running mate, the former Massachusetts governor went bold. America cannot afford to tiptoe anymore around the critical issues facing our country. With entitlement programs set to go bankrupt, our economy floundering, and the moral fabric of our nation disintegrating, we need leaders willing to take bold risks to get us back on track.

And in his first major decision, Mitt Romney delivered. Big time.

Our Moment

What does the selection of Paul Ryan mean for Catholics? A lot in fact. At least when comes to politics, CatholicVote.org believes this could be a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church in America

Paul Ryan will be the first pro-life Catholic to appear on a Republican presidential ticket since Roe v. Wade. Paul Ryan understands his faith. He understands Catholic social teaching, and prays and works to apply his faith to the practice of politics, including his economic and budget proposals.

Paul Ryan is not your typical Catholic politician.

For decades Catholics came to the shores of America looking for freedom, economic opportunity, and a place to practice their faith and raise a family. For many American Catholics during the last century, the Democratic Party became their home. Whether fairly or not, Republicans were perceived as the party of big business, while the Democratic Party was considered the political ally of the common man.

Much has since changed.

This year the Democratic Party will place homosexual marriage into their party platform alongside their fierce commitment to protecting the legal right to destroy unborn children, including taxpayer support of this holocaust. Furthermore, in the past year, a Democratic president and its leadership in the Congress and Senate have endorsed a mandate that will force Catholics to violate our deeply held moral beliefs -- and may even shut down many Catholic institutions in the process.

Behind these "culture war" issues has been a debate about the size and role of government. Should the federal government provide universal health care? Should government decide what schools are best for our children? What about the role of government in our economy, and in "redistributing" wealth?

What does social justice mean? And how is it best achieved?

No, we are not saying that Catholics should simply vote Republican in every election. We must be proudly Catholic first, not partisan. Republicans who attack our Faith or endorse policies that destroy children and the family must be opposed with equal passion.

But the kind of vision for government and society proposed by Paul Ryan is a vision we heartily endorse. And what is his vision? It's the vision of our Founders, Alexis de Tocqueville, and the practice of much of American history. And contrary to some partisan Catholics, it is a vision for civil society that the Catholic Church has long defended as grounded in prudence and moral principles.

The vision of government proposed by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan is a vision of limited government and the unlimited potential of human freedom. It is a vision based in reality; a vision that recognizes when government grows too large, it inevitably destroys the very structures of civil society that make freedom and human flourishing possible.

The vision for America proposed by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan is a vision grounded, not in government mandates and coercion, but in the power of human creativity, innovation, the family, churches, and the intermediate institutions that make up civil society.

Their vision is a vision of ordered liberty.

It's a vision grounded in human dignity and freedom.

And it's a vision we believe is still possible in America.


Sincerely,

Brian "



For what it's worth, I endorse Romney-Ryan as well.

"Obama Get Out" Video.

Found this video at www.obamagetout.com via a link from this article on the Lifenews.com website.

Those Long, Long Lines.

As everyone knows, this past Wednesday was Chik-fil-a Appreciation Day. The only lines longer than the ones outside Chik-fil-a restaurants are the unemployment lines.

Sadly for Adam Smith, he left one line only to join the other.

Let's hope Obama and company are joining the unemployed after the November election.

The Death-Penalty and the Aurora Shooting.

Jonah Goldberg - a fellow Conservative with whom I usually agree - has issued me a challenge. Well, OK, not me personally, but death-penalty opponents in general.

In a recent column, Goldberg writes,

"Death-penalty opponents are fairly mercenary about when to express their outrage. When questions of guilt can be muddied in the media; when the facts are old and hard to look up; when the witnesses are dead; when statistics can be deployed to buttress the charge of institutional racism: These are just a few of the times when opponents loudly insist the death penalty must go.

But when the murderer is white or racist or his crimes so incomprehensibly ugly, the anti-death-penalty crowd stays silent. It’s the smart play. If your long-term goal is to abolish the death penalty, you want to pick your cases carefully."

He continues,

"But the simple fact is, if the death penalty is always wrong, it’s wrong in the politically inconvenient cases too."

His point being, that we death-penalty opponents will remain silent in the case of the Aurora, Colorado movie theater mass murder. We will remain silent because James Holmes is "a man many Americans are aware of, informed about, and interested in". Goldberg wants to hear "why the inequities of the criminal-justice system require that his life be spared".

My opposition to the death-penalty comes from my belief in the teachings of the Catholic Church, statements made by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

2266 The State's effort to contain the spread of behaviors injurious to human rights and the fundamental rules of civil coexistence corresponds to the requirement of watching over the common good. Legitimate public authority has the right and duty to inflict penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime. the primary scope of the penalty is to redress the disorder caused by the offense. When his punishment is voluntarily accepted by the offender, it takes on the value of expiation. Moreover, punishment, in addition to preserving public order and the safety of persons, has a medicinal scope: as far as possible it should contribute to the correction of the offender.

2267 The traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude, presupposing full ascertainment of the identity and responsibility of the offender, recourse to the death penalty, when this is the only practicable way to defend the lives of human beings effectively against the aggressor.
"If, instead, bloodless means are sufficient to defend against the aggressor and to protect the safety of persons, public authority should limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.
"Today, in fact, given the means at the State's disposal to effectively repress crime by rendering inoffensive the one who has committed it, without depriving him definitively of the possibility of redeeming himself, cases of absolute necessity for suppression of the offender 'today ... are very rare, if not practically non-existent.'[John Paul II, Evangelium vitae 56.]

Jonah Goldberg is not a Catholic and this argument will probably not convince him; I've heard the arguments of the pro death-penalty folks and I find their arguments unconvincing as well. It's doubtful that I could explain to Goldberg why Holmes deserves to live, just as it is equally doubtful that Goldberg can explain to my satisfaction why Holmes should be executed.

I am not suggesting that Holmes go unpunished. Life without parole isn't a "slap on the wrist" by any means. Surely, we can seek justice without vengeance.

One of Holmes victims, Pierce O'Farrill has stated publicly that he forgives the shooter.

"Of course, I forgive him with all my heart". "When I saw him in his hearing, I felt nothing but sorrow for him--he's just a lost soul right now."

Contrast that with the words of Jordan Ghawi, brother of one the 12 people killed in the massacre, who believed he might try to avenge his sister's murder. Explaining why he did not attend Holmes' first court appearance, Ghawi said,

"I was afraid that I may try to get my hands on that man."

Is it likely that Ghawi will find peace after Holmes execution? I don't think so.

Goose Egg.

Don't Forget........

Don't forget........be sure to eat at Chik-fil-A today. Not only will you be supporting the company, but you're making a statement against so called - same sex marriage.

You might also piss- off Dana Milbank in the process. Kinda like a three-fer.

More on Benito Menino.

More on Mayor Benito Menino:

From bostonherald.com
Mayor plays chicken.


We’re trying to imagine a big-city mayor telling the world that he refuses to grant government permits to a restaurant business whose CEO happens to support gay marriage. The condemnation of such an abuse of government power would be swift, overwhelming and appropriate.

But Boston Mayor Tom Menino apparently doesn’t see any problem using the power of his government office to issue threats to a private company whose CEO does not happen to share the mayor’s own personal or political views.

After depriving one Boston neighborhood of a much-needed grocery store because he opposes Walmart’s labor policies, Menino is now turning his attention to Chick-fil-A, proclaiming that it will be a cold day in hell before one of its restaurants will be allowed to open near Faneuil Hall.

“You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population,” Menino huffed, adding, “If they need licenses in the city, it will be very difficult — unless they open up their policies.”

Their “policies,” as far as we can tell, include 1) selling chicken and 2) closing on Sundays because their religious CEO believes his employees should spend time with their families.

What Menino really objects to are CEO Dan Cathy’s personal beliefs as well as his public statements in opposition to same-sex marriage. He may also object to the money that Cathy’s private foundation has donated to Christian and pro-family (anti-gay, to opponents) groups.

None of that amounts to a discriminatory company “policy.”

But in Menino’s city (and yes, if he can withhold permits on a subjective basis, it is indeed “Menino’s city”) the punishment for failing to toe the progressive line is banishment.

Northeastern University students recently talked administrators out of putting Chick-fil-A in a student center based on the same concerns over Cathy’s beliefs. But that was the decision of a private institution. This kind of threat from a powerful government official is not only an embarrassment, if carried out it would likely violate Cathy’s constitutional rights. We wouldn’t blame Chick-fil-A and its prospective landlord if they decided it wasn’t worth the fight; clearly that is what Menino is hoping, too.

Wednesday is National Eat at Chick-fil-A Day.

Chick-fil-A has received grief from some for the company's support for traditional marriage. Boston's dictator mayor, Thomas "Benito" Menino has has vowed to keep Chik-fil-A out of his city. Bostonians will not even be given an opportunity to boycott the company.

It's a shame, really. I think Menino would look great dressed in a cow costume.

In response to this and other attacks on the company, Mike Huckabee, along with the National Organization for Marriage has declared this coming Wednesday, July 25, 2012 as National Eat at Chick-fil-A Day .

It looks as if I'll be having lunch at my local Chik-fil-A Wednesday.

No Easy Buttons.

When tragedy strikes, it is tempting for some to seek simple solutions to complex problems. After the horrific massacre in Aurora, Colorado, many of the Left immediately called for tighter gun control laws.

In a recent opinion piece, E.J. Dionne wrote,

"So let’s ask ourselves: Aren’t we all in danger of being complicit in throwing up our hands and allowing the gun lobby to write our gun laws? Awful things happen, we mourn them and then we shrug. And that’s why they keep happening. "

For folks like Dionne, the answer is simple - our nation's gun laws "increase the likelihood of mass killings of this sort" so, we need more laws.

I can't explain why James Holmes "entered the movie auditorium wearing a ballistics helmet, bullet-proof vest, bullet-proof leggings, gas mask and gloves" or why he "detonated multiple smoke bombs, and then began firing at viewers in the sold-out auditorium" killing at least 12 and wounding nearly 60 others. Whatever his motive may turn out to be, he could have killed just as many without the use of firearms. Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people and wounded almost 700 people using ammonium nitrate fertilizer. In 1927, Andrew Kehoe killed 38 elementary school children, two teachers, four other adults in what is now know has the Bath School disaster. According to one report, James Holmes "did such a good job of booby trapping his apartment and arming it against intrusion that police are now saying they may send robots in to diffuse all the weapons. Obviously, had he been unable to obtain firearms, Holmes could have used home-made bombs in his attack on the Aurora, Colorado movie theater.

I don't have an answer. There are no simple solutions and anyone claiming the contrary doesn't know what he's talking about.

In the Nick of Time

Yesterday, I serendipitously went to The Curt Jester and came upon the following post.

"David Athey the author of “Danny Gospel” let me know that his book is free today on Amazon for Kindle/Kindle App users. This is a quite excellent first novel. My original review.
His latest novel is “Christopher”, which I reviewed here."

Needless to say, cheapskate that I am, I went to Amazon.com and downloaded the novel. Good thing. I went back today and the price has gone up to $5.38.

I've read about 20%. I was nearly put off by the first few pages, but hung in there. Now, I'm glad I did. It took Athey a bit to get into the groove, but the novel picks up. I'll write a bit more about the novel when I've finished reading it.

Another 3 &1/2 Time Outs Tuesday.

Is it already Tuesday?

1) Last April, when I posted a piece about Egypt's "Farewell Intercourse Law", I honestly believed that Islam had finally reached the limits of depravity by legalizing sexual intercourse between a man and his dead wife.

2) Now, I don't know if this particular update is worse, but it is certainly a step closer to Hell.
When the original "underwear bomber" Abdullah Hassan al-Asiri decided to hide explosives in his rectum in an attempt to assassinate Saudi Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, he "had fellow jihadis repeatedly sodomize him to widen his anus in order to accommodate the explosives— all in accordance with the fatwas [religious edicts] of Islamic clerics".

3) At least Islamic scholars recognize that following Mohammed makes you weird.




1/2) An old joke comes to mind.........
Why are camels known as ships of the desert?

Condi for Veep?

After the rumors began circulating on the Internet that Mitt Romney was considering choosing Condoleezza Rice for his Vice Presidential running mate, most conservatives, with the notable exception of Sarah Palin, felt the choice would not be acceptable.

From Lifenews.com,Pro-Lifers: Pro-Abortion Views Disqualify Condi Rice as Romney VP. One blogger wrote, Condi Rice? Absolutely Not! Mark Levin tells Romney to stop playing it safe and to “pick a damn conservative”.

This list of naysayers goes on and on.

I have to admit, I don't like the idea of Condi Rice, her pro-choice views don't sit well with me. In a WAPO opinion piece,Jonathan Bernstein says Romney isn't likely to pick Rice anyway.

But, suppose he were to do the unimaginable....... would Romney's selection of Condi Rice prevent me for voting for him? Unlikely. I'm not going to vote for Obama and not casting a vote for Romney is a vote for Obama.

To paraphrase former Democratic Governor of Louisiana, Edwin Edwards, the only way Romney could lose my vote would be if he were caught in "bed with either a dead girl or a live boy". Judging by the state of this country, Romney would probably get most Democrats to cross-over vote for him should he be found in such a predicament.

Rolling Stones Gather at Site of First Gig.

From Rolling Stone.com
In honor of their 50th anniversary, the Rolling Stones returned to the site of their first gig, London's Marquee Club on Oxford Street, for a group photograph on Wednesday.
According to the same article,The band debuted as the Rollin' Stones at the Marquee Club on July 12th, 1962. The lineup was Mick Jagger (vocals), Brian Jones (guitar), Keith Richards (guitar), Ian Stewart (piano), Dick Taylor (bass) and Tony Chapman (drums.)

Only 2 of the original 6 made it.

Those six aren't the originals that we old timers remember. That group consisted of Jagger, Richards, Jones, along with Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. As their current drummer, Watts made the get together. Bill Wyman left the group years ago. I guess he wasn't invited to the anniversary since he wasn't a Stone until after their first gig.

"The Stones always really considered 1963 to be 50 years, because Charlie [Watts] didn't actually join until January," Keith Richards told Rolling Stone earlier this year. "We look upon 2012 as sort of the year of conception, but the birth is next year."

The following video comes from 1964, performing a Buddy Holly tune.

3 1/2 T.O.Ts.

It's the 3rd day of the week, so it's time again for 3 1/2 Times Out Tuesday as hosted by LarryD.

1)
Recently, I've posted some thoughts concerning my pessimistic outlook towards our once great nation. Over on the The Distributist Review/ Dr. Thaddeus Kozinski has done a much better job than I ever could in describing liberalism and the god of the American state with a two part article. [The Tradition of Nothing Worship and The Tradition of Nothing Worship II]

2)
A few days ago, I read an article at The American Catholic.com on Tolstoy's Anna Karenina . I was reminded how much I enjoyed reading the book more than 30 years ago and felt like it was due for a re-read.
I started re-reading it last night. I'm certain I'll enjoy reading as much, if not more, this time around.

3)
Before I forget, I want to wish LarryD a belated Happy Birthday. According to his 3 1/2 Time Outs Tuesday post, he received a Trek 7100 Hybrid bicycle; he also said he hoped to ride 300 miles this summer. Go easy on the picaken, Larry.

1/2)
One of these days, I'm going to go through all the 3 1/2 TOTs I've posted and add a new label......not today, however. Too tired.

The Church of America.

I'm not sure how this fits in with all that "separation of church & state" stuff.

Washington Post writer, Robert J. Samuelson wrote recently,

"If you asked my true religion, I would not answer anything practiced in a church, synagogue or mosque. My real religion is America, and I feel privileged that, among the world’s 7 billion people, I am one of the roughly 300 million lucky enough to be an American."

Obviously, he truly means what he says.....he used the word "transcend" twice in his article. A sure sign of religious fervor, if ever I saw any. Odd, though however; he refuses to participate in the religion of America's #1 sacrament - voting.

I haven't been able to find a reference for the exact quote, but I recall, a few years ago, when Pope Benedict XVI visited the Auschwitz concentration camp he was asked by a reporter how viewing the site made him feel as a German. He replied that he was a Catholic first and a German second. That's very much how I feel about being an American - I'm a Catholic first and an American second.

When we get near the 4th of July holiday (or maybe Holy Day for Samuelson) we always come across articles critical of the U.S. as well as articles critical of the criticism and reading some of those criticisms is what prompted me to write this. I'm not exactly pleased with the condition of the country. The downward spiral has been going on for some time. Some would want to place the blame on Obama. He does share his portion of the blame, but he is more symptom than cause. I can hardly believe that the American people were so ignorant and ill informed as to elect Obama in 2008.

Things will only get worse, should he be re-elected this year.

Are the American people so far gone as to re-elect this walking disaster? Unfortunately, they probably are.

3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday.....the Independence Day Edition.

What would Tuesday be without a 3 1/2 Time Outs Tuesday post?

Following Larry's lead, I'm posting photos of Catholics who have made this country what it is.

1)


2)


3)


1/2)

Michael Voris on Obamacare.

Pretty much sums it up.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan's New e-book.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan's new e-book [True Freedom: On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty] is the one book I wish all my "un-churched" friends would read.

I can't recommend it highly enough. However, I am like someone who had commented on the e-book in an article for National Catholic Register. The e-book is only 5000 words; why not just post it as a letter and publish on the Archdiocese website?

Of course, I know why, now.

Also included with the Archbishop's text is an excerpt from John Allen's book on the Archbishop, A People of Hope.

I am not a fan of Mr. Allen and frankly, they could have left it out as far as I'm concerned.

The e-book costs only 99¢. That's a fair enough price. I realize the Allen excerpt is just attempt by the publisher to sell more copies of his book, but it won't work, in my case.

3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday.....the Space-Cadets Edition.

It's time again for another installment of 3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday.

1)
President Obama - AKA Jimmy Carter the 2nd - said recently,

“You know, it’s fashionable right now for people to be cynical. We go in cycles like this and right now a lot of people are saying, ‘Oh, America is doing terribly’ and ‘What are we going to do?’”

Was he referring to Jimmy Carter number one, who says,
the U.S. is guilty of widespread human rights abuses?

2)
Astrophysicist Alex Filippenko stated that the universe could have come into existence 13.7 billion years ago without any need of God. The laws of physics are all it takes.

He goes on to say that stating that the universe could have started with a God is not the same as saying that God doesn't exist.

"The question, then, is, 'Why are there laws of physics?'" he said. "And you could say, 'Well, that required a divine creator, who created these laws of physics and the spark that led from the laws of physics to these universes, maybe more than one.'"

"I don't think you can use science to either prove or disprove the existence of God," Filippenko said.

I have to ask, then, what's the point of article?

3)
From space.com:

"A Dutch company aims to land humans on Mars by 2023 as the first step toward establishing a permanent colony on the Red Planet.

The project, called Mars One, plans to drop four astronauts on Mars in April 2023. New members of the nascent colony will arrive every two years after that, and none of the Red Planet pioneers will ever return to Earth.

To pay for all of this, Mars One says it will stage a media spectacle the likes of which the world has never seen — a sort of interplanetary reality show a la "Big Brother."

1/2)
In a panel discussion at SETI Con II, the director of Interstellar Message Composition at the SETI Institute, Doug Vakoch said that the discovering of alien life probably wouldn't destroy religious faith or threaten organized religion.

"My own hunch is they're probably not going to be as severe as we might initially think," he said.

Why would anyone suppose otherwise?

Kmiec Predicts Obamacare Victory.

In a piece for America Magazine, Douglas Kmiec predicts that the Supreme Court will vote in favor of Obamacare this week.

The Supreme Court decision is expected to be announced this week. We'll see just how well Kmiec does in reading the minds of the justices - particularly Justice Kennedy. The ever obsequious Kmiec calls Kennedy a "literate, level-headed, fair-minded man" so, naturally, in Kmeic's view, Kennedy will cast the deciding vote in support of the President's handiwork.

Kmiec's love of Obama is well known. I,for one, have serious reservations concerning Kmiec's judgement. If I had any doubts before how the Supreme Court would rule on Obamacare, my doubts were removed having learned of Kmeic's prediction.

The Court will crush Obamacare.

Stay Ignorant, My Friends..........

The Most Arrogant Man in the World.

My Recent Visit to Blood Assurance.

Two weeks ago, the good folks at Blood Assurance called and asked if I could come in and donate platelets. A young girl, who has the same blood type as I, is undergoing treatments and would need platelets Monday,Wednesday and Friday of last week and this week as well.

I was only too happy to help. I scheduled an appointment for this morning at 10:00 o'clock. I dropped off J.P. at vacation Bible school just before nine and went ahead and drove over to the Blood Assurance location on the chance that I might be able to get in early.

After going over the questionnaire prior to the donation, I discovered that my surgery for prostate cancer in March precludes me from donating either whole blood on platelets until one year after the doctor's release. Since the doctor released me to return to work the first week of May, we calculated that I should be able to donate again in May of 2013.

Oh, well.............

3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday.....the Zombie Edition.

After not participating at all this month, I've returned to LarryD's 3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday group. I'm calling this one the Zombie Edition because, not only haven't I done a 3 1/2 T.O.T. since May 29, but I haven't posted anything for nearly two weeks; it's like returning from the dead.

1)
I don't really have any excuse for my having been such a slacker. It's not like I haven't been on the Internet. And it isn't like I haven't had anything I wanted to write about.

Last week I came across a copy of the Dalton Daily Citizen newspaper. The story that caught my attention was about a young couple from Dalton who now find themselves stranded in Mexico.
The young woman, 24 year old Gicela Angelica Carranza had originally entered the United States illegally at age 5 - brought here by her parents. To make a long story short, Carranza has lived in this country nearly all her life; after graduating High School, she earned an associate degree in accounting at the local technical college and eventually married a U.S. citizen, Ramon Gonzalez.

Fearing deportation, the couple went to Mexico at the end of April, hoping to get a visa for Carranza as the spouse of an American citizen. They've been stranded ever since.

The day after I read this article, El Presidente Obama announced that illegals who entered with their parents (prior to age 16) will be permitted to remain in this country, under certain conditions. Had the couple remained in the U.S. everything might have been OK with them, but now that they're in Mexico, I'm not sure how easy it will be for them to return.

I wish them the best - they are in my prayers.

2)
Last December, I read, for the first time, Uncle Tom's Cabin on my Kindle and was highly impressed. After reading the novel, I read a bit about Harriet Beecher Stowe and learned that the publication of her book brought out quite a few literary responses from the pro-slavery folks.

One of the more successful of these books was Aunt Phillis's Cabin; or, Southern Life As It Is by Mary Henderson Eastman. I had downloaded a copy of the book from Project Gutenberg and recently read it.

I knew I was about to read one tremendous load of horse manure (propaganda) but I was surprised at the twisted lengths Eastman went to in order to convince that Christianity did not prohibit the owning of slaves.

Eastman, of course, makes mention of a curse being placed on Noah's son Ham, whereby all his descendants would forever be held in bondage. Eastman goes on to claim that neither Jesus nor his Apostles condemned slavery.

In modern times, the character of Beecher's Uncle Tom, has been looked upon by some as being far too obsequious but, one doesn't truly know the meaning of the word until you see how Eastman portrays slaves in her work.

I don't see how Eastman could actually consider herself a good Christian.

3)
A few days, I came across a recording of Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons singing Boudleaux Bryant's Love Hurts.
I had to listen to several versions of the song, from, of course, the rock band Nazareth, to the Everly Brothers to Roy Orbison....even a version from Rod Stewert and another by Cher.
I haven't been able to get the song out of my head for days.

1/2)
After Simcha Fischer mentioned Kristin Lavransdatter in one of her posts, I purchased the trilogy from Amazon.com. I've only just started reading the first volume.

Lent 4.5 ....... Fail.

During Lent, 2011, I came upon a website for a program called Lent 4.5. On March 6, 2011 I write a post for this blog regarding my thoughts on the program and website - ( Lent 4.5)

The basic premise behind the program is that a formula has been developed to determine how many acres of land is used to maintain your current lifestyle. The example the group gives for those of us living in the USA, is that, on average, it takes 22.3 acres of land to maintain our standard of living. If you take the land mass of the Earth - divided by the 6.5 billion folks said to inhabit the planet - then we are only entitled to use 4.5 acres of land to support ourselves. Obviously, according to the group, we are using far more than our fair share.

In my post, I had used quotes from the Lent 4.5 website - and provided a link, I was critical of the group and I believed it would be only fair to present their argument as they themselves presented it.

Using the figures the site provided, even Mexico was nearly double their "fair share" by using 8 acres of land per person to support the Mexican lifestyle. I know that consumption in the US is, by far, in excess of what it should be, but I do not realistically see the average America living a standard below what is currently the standard of living in Mexico.

The biggest program I had with their idea was their tying their proposal to Lent. Far too often, in their zeal to protect the planet, many of these sorts of groups stray dangerously close to paganism in their love and worship of "Mother Earth". We are asked to fast during Lent in ordered to affect the well being of the planet when the true purpose of fasting during that season is to help the soul turn back to God through a conversion of the heart. At one point we're asked to give "contemporary meaning and value into fasting". It's like saying, "Hey, not only does Fasting provide spiritual benefits, but it'll help you fit into that swimsuit this summer".

The folks pushing Lent 4.5 may have good intentions, but we all know what road that can lead us down.

I would not have brought any of this up if it had not been for a comment left on that post by Mary Mattingly, the National Coordinator for Lent 4.5:

It has come to our attention that you have posted material copyrighted to Lent 4.5 and the Passionist Earth and Spirit Center on your blog. We respectfully ask that you remove the content.

When I received that comment, I felt that my use of the material from their site fell within the area of Fair Use. It is quite common for blogs to use quotes from a site being criticized in order to get ones point across. However, the law regarding Fair Use is vague; I'm not going to get into a legal battle over this. I have to wonder whether these folks would have pushed the issue had my post contained lavish words of praise for their idea? Personally, I suspect the group cannot accept even the mildest of criticism.

In an email from Ms Mattingly, she stated that they "were merely advised by our board of directors that we need to protect our copyright".

The folks running Lent 4.5 say we have huge global problems.
Granted.

They also say we Christians in affluent countries have a faith problem. They believe our "observance of prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent can become a direct response to global poverty". I don't see how lowering my standard of living to below Third World levels can raise the standard of living of someone living in poverty. Like far too many people, the people at Lent 4.5 see inequities between the "haves and the have-nots" and rather than bring the less fortunate up to a higher level, they want us to lower our standards to theirs.

NCR Bashes CDF.....What Else is New?

Following their modus operandi of supporting anyone who goes against Catholic teaching and/or the Magisterium, the National Catholic Reporter has criticized the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) for criticizing Mercy Sr. Margaret Farley's book on "sexual ethics", Just Love.

The CDF concluded that, "Among the many errors and ambiguities in this book are its positions on masturbation, homosexual acts, homosexual unions, the indissolubility of marriage and the problem of divorce and remarriage".

Even Sr. Farley admits,"......my responses to some particular sexual ethical questions do depart from some traditional Christian responses.......".

Never the less, the National Catholic Reporter hasn't missed an opportunity to bash the Vatican. They note that, "In 2008 she received the prestigious Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion for the book." (The award is actually referred to as Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and the University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion). NCR also makes mention of the Rev. Paul Cadetz, an ordained Presbyterian minister and professor of historical theology at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in New Brighton, Minn. as an endorsement of Farley's supporters.

The, so-called, National Catholic Reporter, using Presbyterian accolades to support an apostate over the Magisterium.

In another hit piece against the CDF the NCR opines, "That's a loss for the hierarchy, who would benefit greatly from a close reading of Farley's framework for sexual ethics. But their loss is the Catholic laity's gain, particularly those who have not yet been exposed to Farley's work." Having been exposed to Farlwy's work hasn't driven me into the NCR's camp. On the contrary, it further exposes the NCR as, not the National Catholic Reporter but, as referred to by LarryD, the National Catholic Distorter.

Democrats Support Sex-Selection-Abortion.

No doubt about it; Obama and his fellow Democrats - slash- Leftists - love abortion so much, they will not agree to outlaw abortions based on gender selection.

From Catholic Online:

"The Prenatal Discrimination Act (PRENDA) was defeated before a committee of the US House of Representatives on Thursday, May 31, 2012. Given the procedural means by which the vote was called, passage required a 2/3 majority. The final vote tally was 246 for making the killing of children in the womb based on their gender illegal. The number of those who support the intentional killing of children in the womb based on gender as some kind of protected "right" was 168 representatives. "

Proof that abortion based on the fetus' gender doesn't bother Obama and the Democrats can be found at these sources.

1)The administration's statement to Jake Tapper.

2)Ms Magazine.

3)rhrealitycheck.org.

4)Think Progress.

The list goes on and on.

Those who believe that PRENDA is simply a Republican trick can and should read the bill which can be found here.

3 1/2 Time-Outs Tuesday - the Time- Killing Edition..

Time once again for another 3 1/2 Time Outs Tuesday; the brain child of LarryD.

1)
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I checked two books, by Betty MacDonald, from my local public library. I finished reading the books rather quickly. I'll be returning the books and checking out the only other book by MacDonald to be found in that particular library - Anybody Can Do Anything. I find it amazing that MacDonald could find humor in the most dreadful situations.

2)
I was a big fan of the BBC series Sherlock (season 1). I have been looking forward to season 2 for a year. I watched all 3 episodes on PBS recently and was not disappointed.
Anyone who missed season 2 can view the series on the PBS website until June 19, 2012.

3)
My six year old will be going into 1st grade in the Fall and his school has assigned him a "Summer Math Skills Sharpener". Fortunately, I know all the correct answers. (I'm no math whiz, but I can handle 1st grade.)

1/2)
Dailymail.co.uk recently released a list of hundred of keywords and phrases it says the Department of Homeland Security has been using to "monitor social networking sites and online media for signs of terrorist or other threats against the U.S.".

I couldn't help but notice that the list they provided is in the form of an image, so, presumably, they won't attract the attention of the Department of Homeland Security.

Egg & I.

As I mentioned in previous post, Simcha Fischer recently published a list of, so-called, LOL books.

One book on her list was The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald. Simcha had praised the book so much,I decided to go to my local public library and check it out. While there, I also picked up MacDonald's, The Plaque and I , which had been recommended by someone commenting on Fischer's article.

I had seen the Hollywood version of the book on TV sometime in the 1960's - as best as I can recall. I don't recall much of the movie, however. I don't think I could have told you who starred in the movie if I hadn't read up on it recently. With Simcha's recommendation, I was sure the book would be worth reading.

As Simcha wrote in her review, the story is completely engrossing, but although sections of the book are quite funny, I wouldn't describe the whole work as "LOL". There are portions of the book which are not funny.....nor were they meant to be; I'm certain no one was laughing while reading MacDonald's story of how she was very nearly raped by two drunken Indians. I was completely surprised by her discussion of the prevalence of abortion in the community were she and her husband lived; no LOL moments, there.

Don't get the wrong idea. I loved the book and highly recommend it, though it isn't what one would call a laugh a minute.

Both the wikipedia article on the book and Simcha Fischer mentioned that modern readers might find MacDonald's treatment of native Americans objectionable. True enough, she is very critical of many native Americans in the book. I didn't find her descriptions objectionable because I believe that MacDonald wrote the truth as she experienced it. Besides, MacDonald was critical of nearly everyone in the book, not just the Indians. She gave everyone Hell.

The only thing I did object to was MacDonald's blasphemous use of the Lord's name. Her use of words like "bitch" or "son of a bitch" or "bastard" didn't bother me so much, but I didn't care for what I'll euphemistically render as "GD". Other than that, I'd say the book was the best I've read in quite some time.

Another 3 1/2 Time Outs Tuesday.

It's time for 3 1/2 Time Outs Tuesday . Host, LarryD is posting # Volume 25; I haven't done that many. I haven't kept track of the exact number.

1)
On May 09, 2012 the CENTER for BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY issued a press release announcing that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the eastern diamondback rattlesnake may qualify for Endangered Species Act protection . According to the statement, eastern diamondbacks are in steep decline because of habitat destruction and human persecution.

Some have wondered how this might affect those Pentecostal churches in the U.S. in which snake handling is a central ritual. I'm sure the Federal govt. would allow a religious exemption like the one given Catholic institutions regarding artificial birth control in their health insurance.

What?

2)
Speaking of snake handling. this Catholic priest has an interesting take on the ritual.

3)
In a recent article, Simcha Fisher recommends a number of humorous books. Two book - one recommended by her and one recommended by someone commenting on her article - piqued my interest ........ The Egg and I and The Plaque and I ; both written by Betty MacDonald. The books are available at my local public library. I'll pick them up later in the week.

1/2)
Hope you get to feeling better soon, Larry.