Before the eulogy, you might want to click on the header. It's something for everybody.
My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by.
Today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance, for Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.
Common Sense Obituary
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a Band-Aid to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Author unknown
The above are, indeed, my feelings about the coming elections. Here in Albuquerque and New Mexico, we have men and women who want to be elected or re-elected when they have shown themselves to be, at best, just mediocre. When they have leaned over backwards not to prosecute criminals (it's easier to plea bargain -- you don't have near as much work) but they go after patriots with a vengeance.
We allow illegal aliens to come and go as they please and even to have major gun fights on American soil to the point that Americans are afraid to leave their homes.
We allow legal aliens to bleed our coffers demanding and getting food stamps, housing and medical care from the taxpayers.
We think it's ok to hear constant haranging via our radios and TV sets denigrating other Americans without backing up the statements.
We accept the interminable advertising that becomes mind numbing, when all we wanted was to be entertained by the TV sets we have paid for.
We accept the shoddy merchandise, the poisonous food and the poor workmanship from other countries in the name of "trade".
We think the utter disregard for our health as practiced by the gasoline and diesel fuel companies allowing volatile emissions, a cost we must all pay for the pleasure of driving our cars, when we know it doesn't need to be.
We accept the pleasure of putting our great, great, great grandchildren into debt because greedy companies are in financial trouble and we must bail out the multi billionaires.
We patiently sit waiting for any kind of medical help while the doctors in "carpet alley" fatten themselves over our misery and the almost incompetent assistance they offer.
We listen to the interminable listings of recordings when phoning a company in the hope that, sooner or later, we might get a real person to give us some help. Only to have someone whose reason for being in the system is that English is their second (or third) language and no, they don't understand what we are saying any more they we understand what they are saying.
We tolerate "political correctness" to the point of absurdity, but we are cowed by the noise the minorities make if we ignore it. Whether their view is correct or not.
We are required to pay for TV stations we don't want. Even in languages we cannot read, write nor speak.
We are being spied upon by faceless beings, who may or may not have morals we would approve of. Every telephone call, every web site we visit, every email or IM we use is open to these unidentied and unwelcome listeners. Our streets have cameras on them, telling the spies if we even dare to pass gas.
Monday, October 13, 2008
AMERICA LOSES
Before the eulogy, you might want to click on the header. It's something for everybody.
My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by.
Today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance, for Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.
Common Sense Obituary
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a Band-Aid to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Author unknown
The above are, indeed, my feelings about the coming elections. Here in Albuquerque and New Mexico, we have men and women who want to be elected or re-elected when they have shown themselves to be, at best, just mediocre. When they have leaned over backwards not to prosecute criminals (it's easier to plea bargain -- you don't have near as much work) but they go after patriots with a vengeance.
We allow illegal aliens to come and go as they please and even to have major gun fights on American soil to the point that Americans are afraid to leave their homes.
We allow legal aliens to bleed our coffers demanding and getting food stamps, housing and medical care from the taxpayers.
We think it's ok to hear constant haranging via our radios and TV sets denigrating other Americans without backing up the statements.
We accept the interminable advertising that becomes mind numbing, when all we wanted was to be entertained by the TV sets we have paid for.
We accept the shoddy merchandise, the poisonous food and the poor workmanship from other countries in the name of "trade".
We think the utter disregard for our health as practiced by the gasoline and diesel fuel companies allowing volatile emissions, a cost we must all pay for the pleasure of driving our cars, when we know it doesn't need to be.
We accept the pleasure of putting our great, great, great grandchildren into debt because greedy companies are in financial trouble and we must bail out the multi billionaires.
We patiently sit waiting for any kind of medical help while the doctors in "carpet alley" fatten themselves over our misery and the almost incompetent assistance they offer.
We listen to the interminable listings of recordings when phoning a company in the hope that, sooner or later, we might get a real person to give us some help. Only to have someone whose reason for being in the system is that English is their second (or third) language and no, they don't understand what we are saying any more they we understand what they are saying.
We tolerate "political correctness" to the point of absurdity, but we are cowed by the noise the minorities make if we ignore it. Whether their view is correct or not.
We are required to pay for TV stations we don't want. Even in languages we cannot read, write nor speak.
We are being spied upon by faceless beings, who may or may not have morals we would approve of. Every telephone call, every web site we visit, every email or IM we use is open to these unidentied and unwelcome listeners. Our streets have cameras on them, telling the spies if we even dare to pass gas.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
THE BEAGLE DOES LEAK
There's a little shock item you might be interested in when you click the header. It seems to me rather Machiavellian in the worst sense of that term. It purports to tell you what you're worth to your country. Not sure if I believe that article.
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An apology for my failure to continue the saga of the Beagle and her youthful "scientist" herewith. The death of someone you almost met, but had admiration for, can be most unsettling. Here's to you, Mark.
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There are many things I find disquieting about the "theory" of evolution. And many things I find satisfying. Well, some things, anyway.
It seems strange that we willingly accept that various "species" of mankind existed side by side, interbred, did (or did not) discriminate against each other (how would you really know?) Killed each other in the equivalent of modern wars, got along peacefully and learned from each other, ate the same foods, did not eat the same foods, drew cave paintings, did not draw them and on and on and on.
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Dichotomy's abound. Since it seems to me that if other beings can draw conclusions based on opinions, so can I. So can you. In fact we can have a plethora of opinions, if we want to. How about writing a post on whether or not (including why) you believe as you do?
Is the theory of relativity true or are the facts bent to conform to someone's wishes?
Please do not bring religion into the discussion (I'm composing a post about that, too.), but stay in young Mister Darwin's theory.
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Dang it, trouble with Blogger. Posting this now (I hope).
Sunday, July 6, 2008
THE BEAGLE SAILS AGAIN?
Here is an artist's conception of what the Beagle looked like off the Galapagos Islands. (I absolutely love the tall ships.)
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Like the pictures painted, not from memory, but from other's conceptions of what once was. And the influence(s) of their lives and those lives who had gone before them.
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Which is why I do not accept any "pictures" of the great religious leaders (or any others) whose conceptualization came after they had died and were long gone from being seen.
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And why I have trouble accepting "pictures" of various animals and homo erectus (or whatever) as looking like "so" and "so". There isn't any way we can ever really know (until we get time travel -- another pet peeve of mine) and we can say "Oh, her hair was black, his was red". "Their skin color was light brown, the others was more pink and those others were green." So please don't tell me the dinosaur was brownish with a red coxcomb over its nose. My theory doesn't accept your version.
Friday, July 4, 2008
HAPPY AMERICA DAY
Happy Birthday, U.S.A.
Clicking the header doesn't bring you funny nor attractive news. Instead, it's an article letting us know that we have some serious business to see to.
There's just one more thing you might not have heard about. It's at this link: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/11/fema.giveaway/index.html?eref=rss_topstories#cnnSTCText
I need to sing or at least listen to "Over The Rainbow".
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
THE BEAGLE STILL SAILS
Albuquerque at dusk, from the west. That river in the foreground is the Rio Grande. The mountains are called the Watermelon Mountains by we (us?) natives. They do gather a faint coloring and shape reminiscent of watermelons at different times of the day. .
Be sure to click on the header. I got a kick out of it.
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A new facet has been added to Salome's story. Remember, she's 22 years old. Yesterday morning she appeared at our door looking horrendous. Once more. The thought went through my mind that her brother, Hakim, had gotten physical again. But that was not the case. Nope. She had given blood in a blood drive and it was the first time in her life she had done so.
The crook of one of her arms was heavily bandaged and she didn't want to show me. But I also saw bandages on the backs of each of her hands and one on her other arm. So I coaxed her to take them off and when she did, I saw what I could only consider some amateurish attempt at sticking her with various needles. Apparently the damage done to the crook of her arm was a misguided attempt (the first time) to find a vein. She told us that the girl looking for the vein couldn't find one and finally called someone else to help. That nurse had no trouble locating a good vein -- in her other arm.
But that had not caused this downturn in her health. Apparently she had felt dizzy and almost fainted. So a doctor was summoned (he should be ashamed of himself if the story we were told is true) and he said he detected a heart murmur and she needed to see a specialist. Now, instead of having one the nurses there call the heart specialist and make the appointment for her, they gave her a piece of paper with instructions on what to ask for and the phone number of a doctor.
So, we read the paper (I kept my big mouth shut about the cavalier attitude of this so-called healer) and told her how to handle the call. She was told this particular doctor was not working that day and they couldn't help her until late in July when she could call for an appointment. Never mind that the first doctor had told her to tell them it needed to be done in less than a week. That was ignored. So she called the first doc's office and told them her problem and asked for help. They gave her the name and number of another medico.
They didn't offer to call for her. She has an appointment with him Monday.
Now, it seems to me that if one of my doctors told me I had to see a heart specialist immediately, he would also have had his staff make the appointment for me.
So this lack of accommodation sounds like discrimination to me. And not because Salome is a female.
Wild Thing and I got her car back here and her daddy showed up later that day ands took her to his home where it is assumed she will be babied and cared for by her family.
Oh, yeah, she and her father have made up (which cooled off the brothers). I guess Daddy is the final say so in Arabic families practicing Islam. It is easy to see that he really does love his daughter and wants the best for her. But he is also bound by the thousands of years of the practice of their religion. The man must have a lot of pent up confusion in his life, considering the conflicts of Iraqism and Americanism (I like making up my own words) that are built into the two countries.
We are concerned that an extremely bright, 22 year old kid, has a heart murmur. I'm sure her Mom and Dad are also.
This post is an interim post to let you know what is going on. The discussion on Darwinism will continue next post (God willing and the Creek Don't Rise).
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