Web Log (March 20th through April 2nd)

Saturday, April 2, 2005

Not makin' this up: "Stay tuned for comprehensive coverage of the Pope's deteriorating health." CNN London Bureau Anchor Monita Rajpal

Friday, April 1, 2005   There IS no fool like an April Fool!

At Last! Some Good News!

Am posting first crude draft working bush-league no-frills starter version of Ruby. See, before I recruit the trumpet player (who practices every night until ten (man, is he loud...but good!), distressing some of my less musical (and, to be fair, closer to him) neighbors) from down the block to play a solo on it, I first wanna hear what it sounds like online with only piano, vocal and acoustic guitar. I can already tell that I must change the sound of the left-hand piano part which, for the moment, is played with a (poor man's) honky-tonk effect dialed in.

Last night on CNN, Wolf Blitzer was chatting it up with Father David O'Connell, President of Catholic University. Wolf asked Father a (rather bland, time killing/filling obligatory) question about the Pope's having been given the so-called 'Last Rites' of the Church (for the Last Rites and a quarter, I get a newspaper). But O'Connell seemed to misunderstand the tone (and context) of the question and near-to-wet his pants as he answered, "To me, if I were in that position, it would be an extraordinary humbling experience to be ministering to the chief shepherd of the church of the universal Catholic Church throughout the world." OK.

Thursday, March 31, 2005

Don't change! Just observe! Just watch! You ARE not your self, today!
As an alarm is deftly set each night by one who fumbles to turn it off each morning...
Much can be owned that can never be bought.
Much can be known that can never be taught.

Today's Quiz: Who was it wrote, "If it's not erotic, it's not interesting!"?  Give up?

Dick Schick's father, Dick Schick, has died.

Tom DeLay has outdone even himself with his comments today. Joseph McCarthy has been unseated.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Ah Johnnie Cochran! Of whom it was said, "He's such a good lawyer, he's even got OJ believin' he didn't do it!"

Maggie and I watched "Shadow of A Doubt" on Monday night. It was produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1943 and filmed in Santa Rosa, CA. I suggested we rent it (along with three others on a two-fer night at the tape/DVD store) because I had heard it discussed by some highbrow film buff on NPR. My opinion? It's not quite up to being a turkey. [More like a rat's hiney.] People musta been starved for entertainment during the War. Maggie noticed that the leading actress, Teresa Wright, died only a few weeks ago...on March 6th.

Been puttin' in about four hours a day on my magnum opus. Just a few more days now till the "first draft".

Breaking news from the And You Think YOU've Got It Tough Department!

Tuesday, March 29th, 2005

Regular readers of my Blog (both of 'em...hi mom!) often write to say that, while they may be confused by my religious pronouncements, they are befuddled by my non-religious pronouncements! My Easter homily, in particular, seems to have been the source of (at least) four raised eyebrows. But I am on firm ground in this battle of the hyperlinks!

And it has been brought to (what's left of) my attention (and not for the first time) that ALL Christian southerners end their prayers with 'in Jesus' name, Amen'. As soon as I understand WHY this purported fact is of consequence, I will answer with...ANOTHER HYPERLINK! :->)]

Monday, March 28th     Happy Birthday, BG!

I don't get out much, but the few people with whom I do come in contact seem confused (and don't know what to think) about the Terri Schiavo matter. The pertinent facts are simple and few: in Florida (as in every other state), the law recognizes a spouse to be a person's closest relative ('next of kin'). In the event that one becomes unable to make one's own decisions, then one's spouse is, by default, empowered to make those decisions for one. Can a third party step forward to challenge those decisions? Yes, indeedy! And that's the only reason we've ever heard about Terri Schiavo: her parents do not agree with the decisions made by their son-in-law, Michael. But in the absence of any compelling reason to the contrary, Michael has the right to make the decisions he has made. In over twenty-two rulings over seven years, every judge who has heard the case has affirmed Michael's guardianship. That's why it's unsettling to observe the mob mentality of those (even Jesse Jackson) who would now thwart the implementation of Michael's decisions. The spine-tingling irony here is that "conservatives" are casting aspersions on judges who have been SO insufficiently 'activist' as to simply interpret the law...and not make it! 

Sunday, March 27, 2005   Easter Sunday

The Christian Brothers were fond of telling us that Easter was the single most important religious holiday. They claimed that, by His Resurrection, Christ proved he was (is) God. But ya know what? I don't believe it! I don't believe Jesus was God. Furthermore, there is not one sentence in the New Testament wherein Jesus declares himself to BE God! In fact, when brought before the Sanhedrin and asked that very question, the wise man answered, "Thou hast said it!" According to several eyewitnesses, he even added (sotto voce) 'Not me.' The sad fact is that the precious teachings of Jesus (the Christ) have been (and are to this very day) hijacked in the service of secular (AKA political) causes. The Roman Catholic Church is only the largest and longest-running embodiment of such corruption. Jesus would NOT, fergodsakes, have approved!

Saturday, March 26, 2005  Holy Saturday

From Zach, through an intermediary, I have encountered something called "Godwin's Law", the formalization of a truth of which I have long been aware and which, in its most pared-down form, reads: "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."

Friday, March 25, 2005  Good Friday

In Catholic school, a popular joke was, "Hey! Would you mind crossin' yer feet? I only got one nail left." 

Here's what Pat Robertson said last night on CNN:  "He (Jeb Bush) doesn't have to let some little piddling circuit court judge run the state of Florida." 

Thursday, March 24, 2005

I finally got around to recording my favorite Woody Guthrie tune and posting it. I keep hoping that Ruth, my first singing partner, will be inspired to lend a third harmony.   :-)

In their Supreme Court brief, filed at 11 PM last night, the Schindlers  (parents of Terri) said that "a miraculous event occurred during the weekend," citing the report of Barbara Weller, an attorney with the Christian Legal Society. Weller said before the feeding tube was removed Friday, she urged Terri to say "I want to live," and Terri responded "Ahhhhhhh waaaaaaaa," which she interpreted to mean "I want to live." OK.
Earlier Wednesday night, Bob Schindler accused Florida Judge Greer of being "on a crusade" to kill Terri. OK.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

A bit of gallows humor this morning from Alternet: Terri Schiavo's Persistent Legislative State

Tuesday, March 22, 2005   The beginning of the Zodiacal Year!

The Vernal Equinox! The Birthday of Bach!

I was pretty old (and not much younger than I am now) when it finally sunk in: nowhere is it written that I am required to have an opinion on everything.

Posted new mix of LYT.

This just in from the Just When You Thought Department: "The lawyer (for Ms. Schiavo's parents), David Gibbs, also said Ms. Schiavo's religious beliefs as a Roman Catholic were being infringed because Pope John Paul II has deemed it unacceptable for Catholics to refuse food and water. 'We are now in a position where a court has ordered her to disobey her church and even jeopardize her eternal soul,' Mr. Gibbs said." Yeah...ya know, Dave's got a point here. By all accounts, God's a stickler for Church law and so, no matter that poor Terri ain't had a clear thought for fifteen years, Rules is Rules! I mean, if He makes an exception for Terri...then it's the ole camel's nose under the tent...a GD slippery slope!

Monday, March 21, 2005      Is it Spring yet?

The redoubtable Marty Nemko closes each of his regular radio broadcasts with the following: "We derive comfort from those who agree with us...and growth from those who do not."  And so, it is comfort that I derive from this ABC News Poll.

Sunday, March 20, 2005    Happy Birthday, Chrissie!

Is there any more beautiful time of year?