Anyone ever wish the Senate was comprised of pregnant school girls?

What a wonderful day it is today that we should see the senate pass a bill which would throw a person in jail for helping a girl escape abusive parents. This crap abortion bill passed in the senate fails to provide any exemption for anyone helping a girl get an abortion whose parents have abused her. This would stop a girl's grandparents from helping her. The bill does provide a means by which a girl could petition a court to allow her to have an abortion without notifying her parents but this is utterly ridiculous. How is a girl of 13-14 going to get to a courthouse to file any sort of petition? Even if she could walk there in a small town odds are her bloody parents would find out about it. All this bill does is stop anyone from helping someone who has been abused by her bastard of a father/other relative. Who do you think is going to be better at deciding whether or not a girl has abusive parents and should be allowed anonymity? A judge who has never seen her or her grandparents who actually are around at least some of the time? The exemption that was drafted to protect those who help abused girls in these cases was shut down because of evil people who know that since the Judge has no clue what is going on he/she will always decide the parents should be informed. Adults have an unerring propensity for believing in other adults over whatever children have to say. There is simply no good reason why people who help others should have to face criminal charges for doing so.

Reference

What is it worth to you not to have bombs dropped on your head?

People never cease to amaze me with their idiotic behavior. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that when you hold two people capitive that their government is going to do everything it can to release them. Most likely this involves beating you into submission by any means possible. Hezbollah are a bunch of idiots and should be looked upon with disgust. They could end this war in Lebonan right now if they'd hand over the two soldiers they took prisoner. Instead they still keep the soldiers prisoner and kill Israeli civilians while letting lebanese civilians die because their hideouts are mixed right into populated areas. I sincerely hope people supporting them figure out that it really does more harm than good. It'd save a lot of lives.

Searches without Warning

The Supreme Court decided today that it is ok for Police to search homes without knocking or giving some form of warning before entering. I am perfectly ok with this since I don't think this violates the Constitution as a form of unreasonable search. In the case in question the police did have a warrant. Throwing out evidence from cases in which the police failed to announce themselves is absurd because it has nothing to do with whether or not a suspect committed a crime. I do wish to point out that this ruling may cause future problems when the police barge into someone's home unannounced. Suppose the police have the wrong house and just run right in and the homeowner thinks he is under attack and kills a police officer in what he perceives to be self defense. I can envision lawsuits where the police have shot an innocent man dead because he was defending his rights. It may be useful to police to sometimes not knock before entering but they should in most cases still do this anyway and be very sure of what they are doing when they use this new freedom of theirs.

Only Partially Free Speech

"A closely divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that government whistle-blowers are not protected by free-speech rights when they face employer discipline for trying to expose possible misconduct at work."-UPDATE 1-U.S. court rules no whistle-blower free-speech right By James Vicini

"Adopting the position of the Los Angeles prosecutor's office and the U.S. Justice Department, the high court ruled that a public employee has no First Amendment right in speech expressed as part of performing job-required duties."-UPDATE 1-U.S. court rules no whistle-blower free-speech right By James Vicini

So this would mean that everyone has protection from being fired under free speech but only when it is not related to their speaking about their work. It seems to also mean that anyone who works for the Justices can be fired simply because they use their free speech to disagree with the court's decision. After all, its work related. Speaking of misconduct at work this is the second time in recent history the Supreme Court has let down their fellow human beings. The other case was the recent one where they ruled it was ok for the local government to take your land, paying you a sum that is likely less than what you could sell it for commercially, and then giving it over to industry for development. Don't you just love this country where the average citizen's rights are so well protected?

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Learn English

I cannot fathom why anyone would be against requiring immigrants to learn English. If someone comes here and doesn't learn the language then they are forever in a huge sea of the unknown as people converse around them. It would be a great idea, though by no means a should be a requirement, if they could learn it even before they come. It would make their lives a million times easier. I heard some liberals crying out that the bill was based on prejudice towards illegal aliens and even legal immigrants from Mexico. You can't change your ethnicity but you can learn English. It makes no logical sense to call it prejudiced when one can actually change something about one's self and learn the language. It isn't logical to move to China and expect them all to learn English for you either. Its even a bit arrogant and insulting if one believes everyone in a country should learn another language for one's self. America is a meltingpot of people who all have shared two things throughout history. That being a common language which brings them together and a desire for the rights and freedoms of this country. Having more than one language is devicive. This bill helps ensure Americans all understand each other in a mutual language and become united in that understanding.

The Great Wall of Mexico

There seems to be a growing debate about what should be done about the growing number of illegal aliens in the U.S. There are two ways to fix this. The first is to let them in and the second is to keep them out. I personally would prefer that they be allowed to stay on the provision that they are all accounted for by having records, paying taxes, etc. I'm happy with such an open door immigration policy. What I can't stand for are unregistered illegal aliens. They work here, don't pay taxes, and undercut the salaries of legal citizens who work here. Essentially they are stealing from the government and the citizens of this country. I realize that even allowing all of them to come here legally likely won't stop them from coming here illegally anyway. Any illegal alien who becomes legal is likely to get fired by the greedy scum employing them and replaced by another illegal. What is needed is strict penalties for employing illegals to stick up for their rights and the rights of our citizens to be treated fairly and given proper salaries. By this I mean forget just fines and go with jail time. The best way to enforce fair salaries and ensure people aren't fired for doing the right thing and becoming legal is to make sure the only way into this country is the legal way. That means guarding the border. Too bad President Bush sent all our troops to Iraq to guard its border instead of ours. The more of the Guard that is Guarding our border the better. The more illegal aliens we keep out the more likely we'll be able to keep out any terrorists trying to cross the same way. What's the argument about defending people's rights to fair wages and not to be blown up by terrorists? Defend the border and let everyone in the only way, the legal way.

What? Did Someone Make a Caricature of Him too?

Cardinal Francis Arinze, a Nigerian who was considered a candidate for pope last year, made his strong comments in a documentary called "The Da Vinci Code-A Masterful Deception."

Arinze's appeal came some 10 days after another Vatican cardinal called for a boycott of the film. Both cardinals asserted that other religions would never stand for offences against their beliefs and that Christians should get tough.

"Christians must not just sit back and say it is enough for us to forgive and to forget," Arinze said in the documentary made by Rome film maker Mario Biasetti for Rome Reports, a Catholic film agency specializing in religious affairs.

"Sometimes it is our duty to do something practical. So it is not I who will tell all Christians what to do but some know legal means which can be taken in order to get the other person to respect the rights of others," Arinze said.

"This is one of the fundamental human rights: that we should be respected, our religious beliefs respected, and our founder Jesus Christ respected," he said, without elaborating on what legal means he had in mind.

- Cardinal urges legal action against Da Vinci Code By Philip Pullella

For some reason the way this cardinal reacted to the Da Vinci Code reminds me of a bunch of Muslim's after those Muhammad caricatures were published. I absolutely love how he professes that it is a fundamental human right not to have one's Christian beliefs questioned. The only fundamental right that remotely comes close to what he professes is in the first amendment and that only allows for the free exercise of religion. There is nothing in the first amendment that says one has to respect another religion only that the believers of it are allowed to worship. For instance, suppose there is a mosque of Muslims who believe the people murdered in the WTO got what they deserved because they were infidels. Am I going to respect their beliefs? Hell no. Do I believe they still have the right to worship Allah since they as of yet haven't gone out and martyred anyone? Yes they may worship Him as they see fit. The most idiotic statement this cardinal makes is that Christians shouldn't forgive and forget. If I remember correctly there is a whole lot of advice in the Bible professing forgiveness. I think the cardinal needs to read through it again before he opens his mouth and makes himself look foolish a second time.

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Teaching Creationism: Listen to Europe and Just Say No

"The Archbishop of Canterbury opposes teaching creationism in school and believes that portraying the Bible as just another theory devalues it,"- from Anglican Leader Says the Schools Shouldn't Teach Creationism By Sarah Lyall

"For most of the history of Christianity, there's been an awareness that a belief that everything depends on the creative act of God is quite compatible with a degree of uncertainty or latitude about how precisely that unfolds in creative time," - The Archbishop of Canterbury from Anglican Leader Says the Schools Shouldn't Teach Creationism By Sarah Lyall

Apparently, certain American Christians do not have this awareness the good Archbishop speaks of. The Archbishop is correct that by making the Bible a theory it is downgraded. A theory in science can be disproved and is constantly open to questioning. This is not the realm the Bible should be in. It should stay in the realm of religion. So to all those who want to teach it in public schools I say "No".

If you happen to be Catholic please listen to the Vatican: "In January the official Vatican newspaper said a decision by a judge in Pennsylvania that intelligent design should not be taught as a scientific alternative to evolution was "correct.""- from Anglican Leader Says the Schools Shouldn't Teach Creationism By Sarah Lyall

I hope the other Christians in America see the logic in keeping the Bible in the realm of religion and not as questionable scientific theory. Just say no to creationism in schools.

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Does Anyone Think they Fired the Wrong Guy?

"Ray Nagin, New Orleans mayor, said on Wednesday night he was shocked by video showing President George W. Bush being told the day before Hurricane Katrina hit that the city’s protective levees could fail. The tape contradicts the president’s statement four days after the hurricane struck: “I don’t think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees.”- Reuters: Bush ‘warned day before Katrina struck’

"Trent Duffy, White House spokesman, said the tape was misleading. 'It seems to me to suggest that the president was not fully engaged in the response to Hurricane Katrina. The president was fully engaged and involved in meetings on the response,' he said."- Reuters: Bush ‘warned day before Katrina struck’

If the President was fully engaged in the meetings and the mess that was the response to Katrina why did we fire Mr. Brown and not Mr. Bush?

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Once Upon a Time on a Field

Once upon a field many years ago I was running the miles as all school children do for P.E. As I was running I can't seem to remember much of what I was thinking. Quite possibly, I wasn't thinking much of anything at all. Whenever I run these days I rarely think of much other than where I'm running to or maybe the feel of the breeze blowing over me as I run. But the story I'm telling begins when I stopped running. I had reached the last stretch of the mile around the field we were using as a track. It was early morning and cool. It was what I consider the best weather one can run in. I was one of the first few people to reach that stretch though not the very first. I slowed my pace and came to a stop. Then I knelt down on the ground staring at the grass in front of me for an instant before looking up and around at the field. I was thinking then just how easy it would be to keep going. I could have just continued and placed high in the rankings. I continued to kneel on the ground and watch the other runners for a couple minutes. During this time the coach and one of the other students came up to me to make sure I was ok. I was fine. I told them as much several times having to reassure them. Then I continued on my way running the last quarter of the last lap of the mile. At least two people passed me probably a couple more but I can't remember for certain now. That didn't bother me though. It still doesn't. The reason was I realized that I could easily outrun them and it just wasn't important anymore after that. I suppose the reason I stopped was to simply take in the moment. It was a very nice morning after all. A possible moral of the story if there is one is that one should not judge a person who appears to fail. The coach and the student both thought I had stopped because I was exhausted or something of the sort. Their assumptions were not accurate. So whenever you see someone who appears to have reached their limits it would be a good idea to realize that they may be capable of much more but simply have lost the desire to do more.

No... Not Embarrassing At All...

"The Energy Department said it has come up with $5 million to immediately restore jobs cut at a renewable energy laboratory President George W. Bush will visit on Tuesday, avoiding a potentially embarrassing moment as the president promotes his energy plan." - Jobs cut at energy lab restored before Bush visit By Tom Doggett Reuters Monday, February 20, 2006

No that isn't embarrassing at all except that they were caught restoring cut funding and it has been published. I think this shows exactly how seriously George W. Bush believes in cutting our energy dependence on oil.

Just as a note to everyone: Articles like this don't usually make it to the front page of Google News. Sometimes you have to click on the U.S. button on the sidebar to find something interesting.

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Why be Concerned by Homosexual Marriage?

I've always wondered why so many people get so worked up over homosexual marriage. Every time I've asked someone who is against it why they have their position I never get a satisfactory response. The best answer I have received is that marriage is something that is between a man and a woman. This answer is completely unsatisfactory in defending the argument because their position is reduced to arguing over the definition of a word. I have no problem with calling homosexual marriage civil unions for the sake of progress towards decency since the whole purpose of homosexuals being allowed to marry is for them to have the same legal rights contained in the legal definition of marriage as heterosexual couples. It is exceptionally cruel to deny someone’s partner the right to be beside his partner's deathbed just because they are not legally married. In many instances homosexual couples have been together just as long or longer than many married couples. Yet we as individuals, a society, and country do this to people. Homosexual marriage will end this cruelty to people. Denying someone basic decencies such as this over the use of a word makes one a representative of evil. My best clue to a better reason for the position against homosexual marriage is that it is religiously offensive to them. It is conceivably possible that those with this position see homosexual marriage as an offense against God. However, this does not adequately explain why one should oppose homosexual couples having the same legal rights in their unions as heterosexual couples. The rights in question are legal rights not religious ones. The act of marriage that could be construed as offensive is homosexuals performing the marriage ceremony with the Bible and everything. Denying homosexuals legal rights does not stop them from performing this ceremony since they have done it without getting marriage licenses for years. Under the constitution of this country it is unconstitutional to stop homosexuals from taking part in a marriage ceremony with their partners because such a ceremony falls under the jurisdiction of religion and freedom to worship as one sees fit is a cornerstone of this country. All denying homosexuals the legal rights under marriage does is punish people who haven't caused anyone harm. Those seeking to deny homosexuals the right freedom of religion are no better than the clerics in the Arab world who tell their followers to go out and burn stuff because they won't allow freedom of speech when it has to do with their prophet. The advent of homosexual marriage in no way changes anyone's marriage or makes anyone's marriage less strong in the eyes of God or the law. I suggest to all those who are against homosexual marriage that you should go home and spend some quality time with your spouse and children instead of trying to make people who are different suffer. Maybe then the divorce rate wouldn't be so high.

Sayings Again

I am what I am.
-The Major

Reality is rarely how you feel about it.
-The Major

Iran, Nukes, and Hamas

Much of what I read in the news these days centers around Iran and their uranium enrichment program. I have a hard time understanding why Americans should be very concerned about it. Iran insists that it is developing the process for the purpose of cheap abundant energy and not for nuclear weapons. As they have stated before they do have a right to do such a thing. The U.S. telling them not to is arrogant and violates the fact that Iran is a sovereign nation. If for some reason Iran chooses to develop nuclear weapons even though they claim they will not then the U.S. has perfectly good reason to take decisive action. Rather than being arrogant and insulting it would be a much better policy to state that if Iran ever does develop nuclear weapons that those weapons and the facilities for making them will be destroyed in airstrikes. Add to this economic sanctions and everything should work out fine. If for some insanely foolish reason Iran should choose to use a nuclear weapon the U.S. should make it very clear that Iran will be annihilated from the face of the planet by our nuclear weapons. There is no need to take any action now when the U.S. can dictate the necessary consequences for such dangerous behavior in the future.

On another topic, Hamas still refuses to recognize that Israel has a right to exist. This isn't really surprising but I would have hoped that they'd care about their people who will likely end up starving without Western aid. One really has to wonder why Israel and the West fund people who enjoy blowing themselves up in the streets to murder others. I suppose I can't hope that the Palestinians will realize that the aid is long standing proof that the west is actually nicer to them than they think. Is it really too much to ask that they stop the murdering in return?

Two of the Three Questions Answered

I am taking a philosophy of religion class. So far, we are going over the three main traits that God is generally thought to possess: omnipotence, omniscience, and omni-benevolence. We've covered some of the problems with each of these and a few possible answers but none of the answers have been satisfactory. Eventually during the class I want to get up yelling "No, no, no. That is not how you should think about it! Look, try this." It doesn't take me long to come up with solutions for the drawbacks to each answer. I don't like in class speaking so I'll just write my solutions here. Maybe I'll print it off and hand it to her one of these days.

The first problem is the nature of God's omnipotence. The classic question about this is "Can God create a stone so heavy even He could not lift it?" The answers given to this are generally paradoxical. Consider that God did make such a stone in our universe. It would have to have some sort of infinite force to oppose whatever force God uses to attempt to lift it. Since both forces would be infinite the stone cannot be lifted. Simple physics. However, God could just change the rules of the universe and make the stone possible lift again. The argument is that since God could lift it by doing this then there is something he cannot do; make an stone He cannot lift. Hence the paradox since omnipotence means He is all-powerful. I disagree with the direction of thought on this. It seems that omnipotence also has a component of will to it. Without God's will no such stone would come into creation in the first place. Until God takes an action that negates his own omnipotence he is omnipotent. Saying he could not negate His omnipotence would mean He is not omnipotent. If he were to commit an action, which negates his omnipotence, then he would not be any less powerful. The stone is a bad example since it does not specifically account for God changing the rules. Lets consider that He makes the rules in such a way that He cannot change them and creates the stone. Is the stone any greater than God who is omnipotent? No, the stone can never be more powerful than God because even with its infinite force it is no more than equal to God's infinite power. By refraining from creating the stone God is merely maintaining his omnipotence. So the definition of omnipotence should mean He could do anything He chooses to.

The second problem is that of omniscience. How can God be omniscient and humans have free will? Being omniscient means He is all knowing. The accepted definition of knowing is to have a justified true belief. Omniscience follows easily from omnipotence since He is all-powerful it would be possible for Him to be omniscient. The answer here is simple. There are a multitude of possible universes. Humans are free to choose so at each decision point they change the universe making it into one of the possible ones. The supposed catch is that if God is all knowing then He must have known which one you would choose. I reject this as foolish thinking because it relies on the idea that there is such a thing as a future. I propose that the only time that exists is the present. The future by its very definition does not exist yet. If something does not exist then there is nothing to be known about it other than its nonexistence. When a person makes a decision God knows what that decision is. There is nothing further he needs to do to show that He is omniscient since there is no future to know. But wait what about the past? If there is a past then we are that past’s future so doesn't that show that a future exists? No, because there is no past. The universe only exists in the present. The memories we have of what we call the past are formed and maintained in the present. They reflect states and changes to those states of the universe. Time equals change. So there is no past and no future only the present and change. God has an infinite memory by virtue of His omnipotence. End of story.

The third problem is the problem of evil. I think I'll wait to discuss this one. It’s a much longer subject than the first two.

Peon Part IIa: Life would be Simpler if Carriages Lacked Breaks

This is about half of the second part of Peon. I keep delaying on releasing the complete Peon since I've been going back and editing/adding to it. I'm going to start editing and posting it in smaller sections. Enjoy reading.

Peon Part II: Life would be Simpler if Carriages Lacked Breaks

The town was as an amazing site for Peon to see up close as it was from the top of the hill. Townspeople went quickly about their business here and there as a steady traffic of mover drawn carts hauled merchant goods down the main thoroughfare. Peon followed the merchant traffic along the muddy road towards the market at the center of town. As he walked he saw children running between the many mover carts playing or maybe lifting a few items here and there as they occasionally had been known to do. As the path neared the market it became a paved cobblestone street. He saw many more people crossing the path now on their way to and from local shops. A woman was sweeping off the stoop of a little shop off to his right. It was in a nook shoved between the much larger Golgameshe’s Chamber Pots and Alagan’s Wooley Woolerby Rugs. The small sign above the door said Yed’s Assorted Things. Peon took no interest in these stores but noticed the fine quality of the broom the woman was using to sweep the stoop. The handle was made of a sturdy red wood which Peon thought could be from an Yllian tree. Carved in it were beautiful scenes of flying birds and falling leaves. The bristles were tightly packed and wrapped to the handle by a fine red string. As he was about to call out to the woman and ask where he could get such a broom for himself one of the children still playing around the carts bumped into him. Momentarily startled he looked down to see a small brown-eyed child glance up at him then push off and rush into the stream of carts once more. When Peon recovered his composure he turned back to face the stoop only to find that the woman with the finely crafted broom was no longer there. He glanced around him for any sign of her but was disappointed when he could not find her in the mass of carts and people. With a slightly disappointed sigh he continued on his way towards the market to acquire some delicious berries and secretly hoping that he might be able to find one of those brooms there as well. A few short parts of a moon later he reached the market and began perusing the various goods for berries. He saw many interesting things including: glowstone necklaces, a multipole, invisible thread, Salt Coast wine, one merchant was pedaling magic spoons that could shift into forks or maybe it was the other way around. As he continued to search for berries Peon came upon a animal keeper selling rarer fare than one might normally see in such a town. Peon noticed a bird perched on a stand that was changing its colors every few seconds.

“Come closer my friend and have a look at these wondrous creatures. Just make sure not to touch. Some of them can be fairly intolerant at times,” said the keeper as he took a beetle from a bowl he held and dropped it into a cage nearby. Squeaking and squawking sounds emanated from the dense foliage within then the cage shook violently with a few piercing shrieks before going quiet.

“Feeding time,” said the keeper turning to him and smiling broadly.

Peon had read many articles about exotic creatures from his subscription to Palladium magazine and was interested in getting a good look at the selection before him. He approached the keeper’s alcove and peered down at one of the creatures on display. This one was a small lizard lying out across a bed of hot coals. Its scales were a dusty orange color. The lizard did not seem to mind the heat from the coals and even seemed to be enjoying itself. As Peon stared at it intently it raised and cocked its head to the side. Blinking slightly it stared at Peon with a fiery golden eye then turned its head toward him flicking its long wisp of a tongue to taste the air. Peon and the creature stared at each other in this fashion for several more seconds. With a flick of its tongue the lizard shot forth a plume of flame. Being possessed of quick reflexes especially when his life was in mortal danger Peon ducked in time to avoid the majority of the flame. He backpedaled away from the lizard patting franticly at the hair on his head to extinguish the tufts which had caught fire. The keeper looked at the lizard and shaking his head said, “Uh oh looks like somebody has a cold. Maybe we had best put you away for a little while.” The keeper picked up the stand the lizard rested on and moved it to the back of the alcove covering it with a glass bowl. “Every time I bring him here he comes down with something. It must be a bit too drafty even on the coals salamanders prefer lava, you know. If I could just get him some Alchemist’s Fire,” he said turning back to Peon he continuing, “Could I interest you in some of my other creatures. Flick makes a great show item in warmer weather but you wouldn’t want him sitting around your house with a cold. Maybe you’d like a little coo cat? They make excellent pets!”

“Ummm….no, no…no thank you….I’m afraid my house isn’t big enough for another creature.” Responded Peon shakily. With that Peon turned away and continued searching through the market for berries. Peon had no idea how much sense his comment made. Having never seen a coo cat or read of them in Palladium Magazine he would not know that coo cats can grow to a rather large size. In fact, the average fully-grown coo cat could reach a couple times the size of peon’s small house. Coo cats are known for making a distinct cooing sound that is very pleasing for people to hear. Many traders sell kittens to unsuspecting patrons though these traders seldom every trade in the same area again. A trader who returns usually finds an angry mob of villagers complaining of how he sold them cats that ate them out of everything they had. A returning trader may also find that the villagers had found an inventive use for their overly large pets.

One such merchant, by the name of Bartholomew Woodard, sold a number of kittens to the town of Waterman’s Knoll in the fifty-first Moon Year of the Wintry Moon; while passing through on his way to the capital city of Iron Holm. Upon his return voyage in the spring he made a second stop at Waterman’s Knoll with the belief that he could charge whatever he wished for the food stores he possessed. At the marketplace the town’s mayor greeted him and demanded that he make restitution for the expense of feeding the gigantic coo cats. Bartholomew Woodard was not a simple trader but owned a large merchant fleet and had several guards to ensure that he and his precious cargo made it safely to and from his destination. Not afraid of a few angry villagers he refused the mayor’s demands. It came as a complete surprise when the mayor gave him a little smile and then whistled a high-pitched note. What followed was the demise of Bartholomew Woodard and the destruction of a great merchant fleet as two-dozen coo cats rushed out from behind the town’s buildings trampling Woodard and his guards. The cats then proceeded to play in the harbor with Woodard’s fleet. The surprised merchant captains attempted to flee but unlike normal felines coo cats enjoy water. Each ship sank with all hands due to the coo cats pouncing on them as if they were giant floating mice.

It so happens, that while Bartholomew Woodard had been in Iron Holm selling his goods the townspeople of Waterman’s Knoll had been starving to death as the growing coo cats had eaten all their winter stores of food. Having no other choice the townspeople began sending parties to hunt the local forest for any creature that would pass as edible. On one expedition a coo cat had followed one of the hunters out into the forest. The hunter had tracked a small herd of wild woolerby to a clearing and was about to shoot one with his bow and arrow when the coo cat lumbered out of the forest and swatted the woolerby breaking its neck. It then set about to eating its meal as the surprised and frustrated hunter looked on. The hunter stormed out of the bushes he was hiding behind and yelled furiously at the coo cat to get away from his woolerby. The coo cat looked up at the hunter then slowly backed away. The hunter surprised the large beast had listened to him stood there stupidly for a few small parts of a moon. Once he recovered his wits he quickly grabbed the woolerby and dragged it back to town with the coo cat following serenely behind. After returning to town and sharing the woolerby meat with the other townspeople the hunter began to think about the strange way the coo cat had responded to him. An idea occurred to him that it might be possible to train the coo cats to help with hunting. It was soon realized, once a few attempts to train the cats had been made, that they were very intelligent and learned quickly. With the help of the coo cats the village hunted a steady supply of food for the winter and in the spring were able to deliver the merchant Woodard’s comeuppance.

Peon passed more colorful stalls filled with goods as he searched the market for berries. He was extremely glad to be away from the fire breathing lizard and quixotic animal keeper. The crowd was becoming thicker in the section of the market he had just entered. He had to push his way through the throng of people to continue onward, hoping to find what he was looking for at the market’s center. After what seemed like several parts of a moon longer than it was Peon broke out of the crowd of people. Peon stood where he was taking in the wonderful sight he had come here to find. Across from him and the gap in the crowd was a stand covered with every kind of berry imaginable. There were blueberries, red berries, white berries, orange berries, blackberries, multihued berries, and the shapes and sizes varied from tiny to the size of Peon’s fist. It was while standing there struck dumb he had found what he was searching for, that a passing mover cart passed over his foot. Peon let out a bloodcurdling scream and began hopping around wildly. Heads turned in his direction to see what all the commotion was about. The onlookers were perplexed to find a peon holding his foot while hopping up and down in a lane of traffic as a mover cart prepared to make him a useful roadway. While continuing to hop away the reawakened pain in his right foot Peon noticed all the people staring at him and behind him. Curious to find out what was of interest behind him he hopped around and noticed the fast approaching mover cart. Having no intention becoming a new coating of pavement Peon made a large hop to the side and rolled out of the way just in time to avoid the mover cart. Unfortunately, as the mover cart passed leaving Peon unscathed it hit a badly placed pothole and kicked up muddy water drenching him to the bone.
The onlookers laughed at the soaking wet peon still laying in the road holding his foot, and went about their business. Peon climbed to his feet gingerly setting his throbbing right foot on the ground. He decided that he would not let being in pain and soaking wet ruin the moment. He proceeded to hobble toward the merchant stand with the assorted berries. The shopkeeper, an old woman with frizzy white hair and inordinately large spectacles, looked at him giving a slight grimace at the sight of a muddy peon visiting her establishment. But being the successful business woman she was she asked “What can I get for you today, sir? I have this fine collection of berries available here before me and a stock of preserves in back.”

“I’ll have some blackberries, blueberries, red berries, orange berries, and some multihued berries…..ummmm…..make that a double helping of the multihued,” he replied.

The shopkeeper quickly put the berries Peon selected into a complementary basket and extended it toward him. She then asked, “What do you have as payment, sir?”

Peon quickly dug in his pockets for the watch he was carrying and handed it to her smiling. The shopkeeper looked at her hand and scowled then flung the ball of mud Peon had handed her to the ground saying, “I’m afraid mud doesn’t cover the cost of delicious berries such as these.”

Startled, Peon looked at the ground where lay the ball of mud he had mistaken for the watch. “I’m terribly sorry madam I thought that ….well….. it was something else….just a moment….” He said digging through his pockets once again.

But try as he might he could not produce the watch. The shopkeeper a bit miffed at receiving no payment withdrew the basket full of succulent berries saying, “Well, I thought my berries were worth more than mud to you but I can see that I was wrong. Come back when you have something that isn’t dirty. That includes yourself!”

Peon stunned and defeated wandered away aimlessly from the berry stand eventually sinking to the ground. Having come so close to his goal and failed he laid there for many parts of a moon pondering how he could have lost the watch.

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The Foolish Cleric

"This is not violence, this is the right of every Muslim to fight for the prophet," said Ali Allameh, a bearded cleric whose hair was tied back with a bandanna. "Those who insult the prophet are not people, are not human beings. They're pigs and chimpanzees. Even pigs are better than these people."- From: Beirut Rioters Attack Church By Megan K. Stack, Times Staff Writer

Notice the absurd and utterly vile nature of this man's words. He and those like him are the reason the cartoons depicting Muhammad were printed in the first place. For a cleric he lacks wisdom. Even animals strike back when they are attacked.

Source

Ideology Is Less Flammable Than Flags

This idea comes from a comment Tom made regarding flag burning under the previous post. Here in the U.S. there is a divide between those who support flag burning as freedom of speech and those who find it offensive and think it should be illegal. I do not find flag burning the least bit offensive. I can understand that to certain people the flag represents what they have fought for or believe in in other ways. To some others it represents things they wish to change. The burning symbolizes the doing away with the old order. If your church burns down, do you lose your faith? One would hope not or else your beliefs are very weak. I think of flags in the same way. If one's beliefs are so weak as to be challenged by the destruction of a material thing then one should not have those beliefs. It is foolish to be concerned over the burning of a flag itself but far more logical to be concerned with the reasons and ideology of someone burning a flag. On an end note, according to the U.S. regulations regarding proper disposal of the U.S. flag the accepted method of destruction is to burn it.

Unreasonable Gunmen

I think it is unusual that I have to write an update to a post so soon but for the sake of keeping up to date and furthering my points I will do so. In another bout of complete lack of reason, masked gunmen surrounded the European Union offices in Gaza on today. This is in reaction to a French newspaper publishing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad to remain in solidarity with the Denmark newspaper, which published a selection of cartoons earlier this week. I have to say that it is completely absurd to involve something that represents the entirety of Europe in a threatening demonstration when only two newspapers are involved in the offensive behavior. What could possibly be going through their minds that lead them to believe all of Europe is behind the publication of two newspapers? That question isn't really relevant anymore since because of this demonstration of force they've caused even more European newspapers to publish the cartoons that were offending them. I have often wondered what leads people to such senseless courses of action. Fortunately, I think I've got my answer.

"We are angry — very, very, very angry," said the legislator, Jamila al-Shanty. "No one can say a bad word about our prophet."- From Temperatures Rise Over Cartoons Mocking Muhammad By CRAIG S. SMITH and IAN FISHER

This seems to be a philosophy that would lead to many conflicts since the majority of the people on Earth do not follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Since they do not follow his teachings it is logical to assume they do not hold him in any great esteem. Therefore, they have valid reason for saying less than flattering words about him, if they say anything at all. Waving guns around at those who do not believe the way you do is a very poor way of convincing others that they should follow your beliefs. It is more likely to make them angry and do the same to you, in turn. This is another reason the Muslim world is submerged in illogical thought. Maybe if Muslims or at least their leaders were more reasonable people and did not anger so easily there would be less negative cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad.

Source

No Freedom of Speech In Congress

Note: This post contains some carefully chosen strong language. You have been warned so read at your own risk.

At the State of the Union address Cindy Sheehan was arrested by capitol police for wearing a shirt with the number of people killed in Iraq on it. Beverly Young the wife of Florida Representative C.W. Young(R) was also removed from the visitor's gallery for wearing a shirt with the slogan "Support the Troops — Defending Our Freedom."

The capitol building is the one place in this "Land of the Free" where we should have "Freedom". I would have whole-heartedly supported both of these women if they had grabbed the security guards' balls and twisted. They are deserving of the pain for their unpatriotic actions. This is a case where the capitol police should have stopped "just doing their jobs" and started being people again. When and who wrote this unpatriotic law that says the police could do this? If it was congress, which it probably was, I suggest the next time they are all assembled the police should manhandle them out the door and toss them on their fat behinds. It is time those who are sent to the capitol stop thinking they can get away with violating the rights of those who sent them there.