My final post:

It has truly been a privilege and honor to know all of you. I wish all of you the best in life.

Comments on the controversial comments by Pope Benedict XVI:

I've read the text of the address, and what seems to be the problem is a few paragraphs. I have copied the relevant paragraphs below:

"In the seventh conversation ("diálesis" -- controversy) edited by professor Khoury, the emperor touches on the theme of the jihad (holy war). The emperor must have known that sura 2:256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion." It is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under [threat]. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Koran, concerning holy war.

"Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "infidels," he turns to his interlocutor somewhat brusquely with the central question on the relationship between religion and violence in general, in these words: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

"The emperor goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. "God is not pleased by blood, and not acting reasonably ("syn logo") is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats.... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death...."

"The decisive statement in this argument against violent conversion is this: Not to act in accordance with reason is contrary to God's nature. The editor, Theodore Khoury, observes: For the emperor, as a Byzantine shaped by Greek philosophy, this statement is self-evident. But for Muslim teaching, God is absolutely transcendent. His will is not bound up with any of our categories, even that of rationality. Here Khoury quotes a work of the noted French Islamist R. Arnaldez, who points out that Ibn Hazn went so far as to state that God is not bound even by his own word, and that nothing would oblige him to reveal the truth to us. Were it God's will, we would even have to practice idolatry.

"As far as understanding of God and thus the concrete practice of religion is concerned, we find ourselves faced with a dilemma which nowadays challenges us directly. Is the conviction that acting unreasonably contradicts God's nature merely a Greek idea, or is it always and intrinsically true?

"I believe that here we can see the profound harmony between what is Greek in the best sense of the word and the biblical understanding of faith in God. Modifying the first verse of the Book of Genesis, John began the prologue of his Gospel with the words: "In the beginning was the 'logos.'"

"This is the very word used by the emperor: God acts with logos. Logos means both reason and word -- a reason which is creative and capable of self-communication, precisely as reason. John thus spoke the final word on the biblical concept of God, and in this word all the often toilsome and tortuous threads of biblical faith find their culmination and synthesis. In the beginning was the logos, and the logos is God, says the Evangelist. The encounter between the biblical message and Greek thought did not happen by chance. "

While all of Islam is not reflected by their most radical leaders, they certainly are the most vocal at this time. From what I read, the Pope greatly condemned the use of violence to advance religious agendas, and called for more reasoned dialog between the Muslim and Christian worlds. The implied message was a call for their elders to take their youth in hand and set them straight. As a result of this, churches have been burned, a nun far greater than Mother Theresa was murdered, and worse may happen still. More analysis is here, but this should have been a tempest in a teapot. Instead, terrorists are using this as further "proof" of why a jihad is needed. Many of these same groups, if Pope Benedict XVI were to read the weather report, would cite this as a further example of his hatred of Islam. I'm no Catholic, but I think it would be far more accurate to say that Pope Benedict XVI abhors violence in the name of religion, and I'm sure this is a position with which most can agree. I may not always like or agree with Pope Benedict XVI, but I think he had a point.

Random food thoughts

I went out of town recently, just a short day trip, and needed to pick up something at the store, so, I went to this large grocery store that was on the way. One of my favorite areas of any grocery store is the ethnic food aisle, since that's just about the only part of any store I know I'll find something I probably haven't tried before. I saw this soda I'd never seen before: Sidral Mundet. Since I have a friend who has travelled abroad, I do know what the Spanish word "manzana" means, and even if I didn't, I know what a picture of an apple looks like. :P It was a 1.5 litre container for right around $2 or thereabouts, so I figured, why not take it home, get it nice and cold, and try it? I'm not a huge fan of apple juice, but it looked interesting, and besides, my friend had had something similar during his travels and had mentioned how good it was. I do, however, love a good cider, both plain and when used as part of wassail. I'm very glad I did. I learned later that "sidra" means "cider", something part of me figures should've known from the beginning, but I digress. I tried it, and the next time I'm out that way, I'll buy two or three of them. It's a much more interesting flavor than I was expecting: Definitely apple, but more like the cider upon which the name of this particular product was based. I should have also picked up the Sangria Señorial, but I didn't. Perhaps next time I'm out that way, I'll pick some up.

On a different note, I have two entries into the "What the HELL?!" column. First, I'd never heard of Lonelygirl15 on YouTube, and I may be one of only four people in the United States to have never even visited the YouTube website. Also, I'm almost 30, and that probably puts me above the age of the target audience. That said, I can't understand how anyone could be surprised by at least the possibility of this happening. This is a public website where people can post their videos of either real or creative content, and that includes the possibilty (in this case, realized) of acting. My opinion, therefore, is this: Ms. Rose is obviously a good actress, and my first instinct is that I hope some crazed fan doesn't decide to express their disappointment or anger in a direct manner. Bah.

And finally, for the entry into the "bullshit" column, there's the recent arrest of Duane "Dog" Chapman, Leland Chapman, and Timothy Chapman. They find and capture this serial rapist, and they're the ones arrested. Fucking bullshit. They should be given a medal, not bracelets. That's all for now.

9/11/01: Five Years Later

I have seen plenty of people wearing their red, white, and blue outfits. I've seen American flag headwraps. I've seen the ribbons, the makeshift memorials, and the recollections shown on CNN and elsewhere in lieu of actual news. Before I continue on my rant, I want to make absolutely clear that I believe we should never forget the sad events of 9/11/01. I believe we should never forget those who were lost on United Flight 93, or the Pentagon, or the World Trade Centers. I believe we should never forget their families and friends. The terrorist hijackings of 9/11/01 is the second-worst event I've seen during my lifetime, and I do not wish to demean this at all.

All that said, I believe the time has come for us as a nation to move on with our lives. Are we going to be mourning this event in such a maudlin manner ten years, fifteen, twenty, fifty, or even a hundred years hence? I know many of you have lost loved ones in the past, and it is in this sense that I mean to move on. I feel the best way to remember the victims is to remember their loss and to remember their families and friends, but not to engage in this maudlin, self-flagellating bullshit. The time for wearing sackcloth and ashes is over. The time to bring those responsible to justice, either in this life or by sending them to the next, is now and began the moment the first plane hit the building. Five years after Pearl Harbor, this nation did not have parades, or 24/7 coverage of nothing on the various television stations. The time has come for us to remember that bit of wisdom from our grandparents and stop giving the terrorists even this small bit of legitimacy by treating the anniversary of this horror as tantamount to a national holiday. We were hurt that terrible day. However, this nation was once great and has no excuse not to be again, and our resolve should be no less than it was five years ago, though this resolve should be tempered by wisdom, a wisdom I have not seen nearly as much as one might hope.

As for how I've observed the fifth anniversary of 9/11/01, well, I showered, went to work (wearing something that was NOT red, white, or blue), and basically treated it like a Monday. Last year, well, I was probably having a severe anxiety attack for reasons unrelated to the anniversary and everything to do with the tropics. Next year, who knows? However, my opinion on this is not likely to change.

Stan Lee: Brilliant artist, useless as a television personality.

I could have put "I am dead, and this is hell," but I have a good bit of life left in me, and I've already said that this is hell before, I think. I can't quite be bothered to check the 169 prior rants I've done on this blog. To those of you who may be unaware, Stan Lee, the brilliant artist who introduced the world to Spiderman and other very popular comic book superheroes, now has his own reality show. I've caught The Real World, Road Rules, Survivor, Big Brother, The Surreal Life, and even a few seconds of that crappy show with Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. However, I have truly seen what is digesting in the bowels of Satan himself, and it is Stan Lee's reality show, "Who Wants To Be a Superhero?" I really see no need to elaborate on the show, since even the title reeks of the type of dreck this show vomits from the television screen in every episode. If I weren't a bit odd already, this might've warped mah fragile little mahnd. As it is, it has obviously brought about an Eric Cartman moment, and, while that's... interesting, it is not all that scary.

On a different note, my deepest condolences go out to the friends and family of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. His work educated and entertained hundreds of millions of children and adults alike and helped make others more aware of the beauty and wonder in nature, and he will be sorely missed.

Finally, I took an ethical philosophy selector test, and, according to the test, my personal philosophy was most similar to Baruch Spinoza (top rank) and the Stoics (second). There's no particular point in this statement. I just think it's interesting.

One fewer person on the FBI Ten Most Wanted List:

I'm sure by now, you've heard about Warren Steed Jeffs, the polygamist child-molestor on the FBI Ten Most Wanted List, being arrested during a routine traffic stop in Nevada in a red 2007 Cadillac Escalade. I mentioned the car's color because on Larry King Live, one of the members of his sect who ran away the day before she was to be wed to some older pervo when she was 14 years old mentioned that the color red is considered evil by that sect. I know little about that cult and care even less, but I find that a bit odd, perhaps even Freudian. I've read a bit about this guy, and every article I've read about him has disturbed me on a different level. He truly belonged on a list of the worst criminals who have committed crimes against citizens of the United States, and his capture can only be a good thing for the people of the states of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. I wish Mr. Jeffs a long life in prison, preferrably served in the general population and assigned to a cell with a large, scary cellmate who, as a child, was subjected to the same kind of abuse he inflicted on so many children.

Sidebar and Jim Cantorre of the Weather Channel

You may have noticed a new feature on my sidebar. I now have the current Department of Homeland Security Terror Alert Level in an easy-to-read format. As for me, I think it's bullshit, and I'll personally be on red alert until October or November at the earliest, but I've already addressed that in my other post today.

That brings me to my second comment. I've noticed Jim Cantorre on The Weather Channel, and I remember how unbearably smug and happy he was with every monster during Ivan, Dennis, and other monsters. I also remember how that changed, as did so many things, after Katrina, when The Weather Channel lost communication with him for 24 hours and his van floated away. I've seen him on TV in the days leading up to the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on Tuesday, and he's very somber. Gone is the arrogance and thrill of the hunt that once infuriated residents along the Gulf Coast, replaced, instead, with a far more mature respect for the fury nature can unleash. I wish, well, almost no one any ill will, and for that reason, I'm glad he survived. He may come across as being an ass, but to my knowledge, he has done no direct serious harm to anyone. I'm also glad that he finally understands what those of us along the Gulf Coast and East Coast have known all along: That this isn't a game. I think he learned this is life and death, and whenever there's a monster in the water, lives will be ruined and ended.

Because the lion's share of the coverage has been about those who died during Katrina and those who have suffered and continue to suffer, I can't help wondering if the survivors have been forgotten. We haven't seen all that much about those who survived and are once again thriving. We haven't seen all that much about those hurt by the storm in Mississippi or along the Alabama Gulf Coast. As this first anniversary of Katrina nears, let's think about those who lived and those who have been forgotten. Let's give a thought to those who are still trying to piece their lives back together. And maybe, if you feel so inspired, donate some time or money to some charity involved in easing others' suffering.

Hurricane Ernesto, or, five weeks in Hell:

I haven't said much this season about storms, and I certainly have not expressed the level of raw panic I did last season. The simple reason for that is that I'm too tired and I generally feel like shit. My blood pressure is spiking up to levels that should be medicated, I'm not sleeping well, I'm about 40-50 lbs. overweight, I don't exercise, and I eat pretty much everything I shouldn't. I know the forecast cone encompasses Florida, but that can easily change, so I have no intention of relaxing yet, or at all, until this season is over.

Hurricane Ernesto, like all storms in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, has me very worried. I know it's a phobic response brought about by repeated trauma, but, looking in the grocery store, I'm far from alone. People are starting to stock up on soda, beer, and bottled water. Thusfar, I haven't seen the shelves at the grocery store denuded like a plague of locusts had descended upon them, but it's still Sunday yet. I fully expect to see that in one to three days, assuming I'm still at home then and not on the road running from this storm.

I mentioned five weeks in Hell, because that is the time remaining in the peak of hurricane season for the Gulf Coast, although storms are possible at any point during hurricane season. If you don't have any experience with this, I cannot begin to express my happiness for you, and would like to express my sincerest desire that you never know this. The ocean temperatures are slightly above normal for this time of year, but they're not at body temperature like they were last season. This means that storms have the potential to be a bit stronger than normal, but I refuse to speculate on the rest of the season, or, in fact, this storm. What I do know is that we're not on last year's pace, a fact for which I'm grateful. I only hope no one is harmed.

Finally, you know this wouldn't be one of my posts if I weren't angry at someone, and once again, that person is Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans. His words and actions have led to the deaths and suffering of many, and may ultimately lead to the death of New Orleans. I have never seen this level of insensitivity, incompetency, and love of the taste of one's own shoe leather from any elected official in my lifetime. You may think I'm exaggerating when I say that his words may lead to the death of New Orleans, but take for example his words on 60 Minutes. I believe the comments speak for themselves. He criticizes the federal government for reacting so slowly to Hurricane Katrina, but the destruction it wrought over such a wide area hampered relief efforts. The events of 9/11/2001, on the other hand, left the rest of the city intact, there was still a civil infrastructure including fire and police departments, they still had running water and electricity, the streets were still as passable as they ever are, and they still had mass transit services available. His comments only showed his deep ignorance and disrespect for everyone, including himself, and only served to alienate those whose help this entire region still needs and will continue to need for quite a while. It is my sincerest regret that he was elected to yet another four-year term, and my sincerest hope that his words are not thought to be representative of the opinions of this region. The people of the central Gulf Coast are, by and large, good people, not assholes like this shit-stain on the political landscape.

Some food for thought, and may your belly pleasantly ache from the glut.

Maybe I say "pleasantly ache" because gluttony is my favorite of the "7 deadly sins". At any rate, though this is laziness in the best sense of the term, I post these articles because I want to spur debate and thought, partly because they're the cornerstones and guardians of a representative democracy, and partly, frankly, because I'm bored. The titles will be whatever I feel is more fitting, not necessarily that which the author chose. All links, of course, will open in new tabs, or windows if you're still cursed with Microstiffy's Internet Exploder.

Bolton: This year's Daniel Patrick Moynihan?

War on the Home Front Here, I wish to make absolutely clear that I have no problem with anyone of any religion who wishes no harm and takes no actions to cause harm to me, my family, my nation, or any other nation. At absolute worst in the case of such an individual, I simply won't give a fuck about the individual, and at best, hell, everyone can use more friends. However, whether you're talking about anarchist rioters, ecoterrorist fucktards and their supporters (ELF, PeTA), inbred morons from some Christofascist (Is that even a real word? If not, look no further than Timothy McVeigh for the definition.) conclave, or Islamofascists from both here and abroad, the only things I wish for those who take action on their beliefs or incite others to do so are a prison cell at best, and at worst, I wish them a permanent removal of their ability to harm others and themselves. Interpret that however you may.

The Fall of Detroit, an article that in a few short paragraphs has more honesty than Michael Moore has expressed in his entire career.

Flight From Honesty, an article that everyone should read.

Rock Death and Music, finally proof that two more people get it: Garbage in, garbage out, and garbage is all those of us who love rock have gotten lately. How many Top 10 hits did Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, or any of the other most influential bands of the late 1960s/early 1970s have, and who today gives a shit about those who dominated the charts at the time? For a more modern perspective, how long have Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, and Tori Amos spent at the top of the charts? I firmly believe there's still a lot of good shit out there; it's just nearly impossible to see with the Gwen Stefanization of modern pop. Until this changes, I shall wear sackcloth and ashes in mourning for rock and roll, though figuratively of course since sackcloth itches like a motherfucker.

Impugning Joe Lieberman, yet another must-read.

And, finally, Flex Fuel Fuzzy Math. Again, the title says it all.

For your entertainment, a music video. Not for work:

She Wants Revenge

Music Videos And Lyrics On Demand

This is "These Things" by She Wants Revenge, and expresses, well, nothing deeper than my love of this music. Still, the tonality is a good expression of my mood. Not for work.