Thursday, November 30, 2006

Is he dead?

Welcome back to all you old timers. Thought I was gone for good, did you? Well, let's just say I had a brief sabbatical, although...sabbaticals are usually supposed to be good for recharing batteries, gathering new information, coming up with new ideas. Sorry to disappoint, but all of my ideas are stale.

Off that topic, I was playing a video game the other day (yes, during my sabbatical) and in it, the narrator supposedly mentioned Sir James George Frazer's book 'The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion,' and then said, "[we] are overwhelmed by our very human need to weave a web of meaning where there may be none." A review by Time magazine found on Amazon.com's website, here, blasts Frazer for essentially saying only the stupid believe in a god and only the intelligent believe in science. Apparently he must have felt that religion and science cannot coexist.

He does have a point that everyone must consider, however, to be confident in their faith. Do you believe what you do because you have no proof otherwise? Is there no other rational explanation, so you simply attribute it to a higher being? If so, then I would venture that your faith and beliefs are shaky, at best. To be firmly rooted in your beliefs, in your faith, in your church, in your branch of study, you should have evidence to support your claim. To scientists, they require empirical evidence, while the proof of a higher being for those who believe may be something else.

Remember, the proof for which you seek is not for others but for you. You must obtain sufficient proof to convince yourself of the "truth," however you may define it. What anyone else thinks is irrelevant. You are on a quest for yourself, not others.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Personal Aside

What would you do if you found out you only had three months to live? Would you quit your job? Would you go on as if nothing had changed? Would you have any regrets? Although I haven't actually received such shocking news, I recently was informed of the potential for such shocking news. It may be nothing...it may be something. Perspectives may remain the same, or they could change. How I decide to react is all up to me. What is thought of me after I'm gone is up to you.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Profit & Loss

Recently, a movie was released that was based on the events of a certain flight that crashed into a field on September 11, 2001. Last night I saw a preview about a movie based on a true story of an entire football team that died in an accident. It seems that every year, more and more movies based on a true story are released. These filmmakers are profiting because of someone else's loss. Can't they come up with their own story? They are so hungry for money, they are willing to commercialize someone's death? Yes, some of the proceeds may go to a charity or to a family affected by the loss, but shouldn't all the proceeds go to that? Respect needs to make a comeback.

Monday, November 06, 2006

War in Iraq

Don't get too worried about this post. Yes it is somewhat political in nature, but I promise not to do it often. Please keep in mind that I did absolutely no research on this at all and that it is entirely based on what I have heard and, obviously, my own opinion.

With election day around the corner, it's impossible to avoid hearing the republicans bashing the democrats for bashing the republicans regarding the war in Iraq. The deomcrats feel we are wasting time, money, and - more importantly - lives fighting a seemingly unending war. A civil war is imminent and I don't know who would argue against it.

The republicans are somewhat in agreement, though they won't admit it. Their point is that the democrats don't have a plan to remediate what the republicans screwed up.

At first glance, pulling our troops out would seem like a great idea; however, we started this mess, so shouldn't we stick around to help clean it up?

It's been on odd war in the first place. The wholc world knows George W. was just looking for an excuse to go after Saddam and in the inaccurate intelligence (sort of an oxymoron, isn't it?) he found that excuse. That is not to say Sadaam should have stayed in power, but we should not justify our actions with a lie. The world is a much better place without Saddam in power, but are the lives of the Iraqis any better? How many of them have died innocently? When will the threat of civil war, or car bombings, of suicide bombers, of hunger, of death be reduced to levels lower than when Saddam's regime ruled?

Maybe overl human rights are better, arguably, but now what? No one seems to know what to do and in the meantime, hundreds of innocent people are dying.

Friday, November 03, 2006

Note to Self

It seems that almost every day someone is being arrested or investigated for having some sort of 'hit list' or turning in a report talking about murdering specific people or just going on a violent, lethal rampage. For most of us, when we make off-hand comments like, "I would like to kill that guy!" we don't literally mean we want to go that person's school or home or business to blow their brains across the room and onto the wall. What we mean is, "That guy is so frustrating! I wish I didn't have to deal with him!" It's never the majority who attempt the unthinkable. Most of us are too comfortable living the status quo to want to disrupt anything, for good or bad. The police, the FBI, the CIA and other crime fighting organizations are in business because of the minority who feel compelled to follow through with threats- threats that aren't as empty as we would like them to be. There are others in the minority, however, that want to make the world a better place...and maybe make some money along the way. If it weren't for these people, I wouldn't be writing this blog today. Blogs, the internet, power plants and all that other cool technology that I have no clue how it works would not exist if a few people had decided to stay complacent. But as a note to myself, if I ever get frustrated enough to say something I don't mean, I hope no one is around to hear it and I hope I am not stupid enough to post it anywhere. Keep your noses clean, people.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Next Time Won't You Sing with Me

A billion cats danced everywhere for girls hanging in jumpsuits. Kingly lions mate near our preschool, quickly roaring. Slobbery toasters uphold vittles with xylene. Yes, Zimbabwe?