I certainly read more blogs than I write in my own. I typically don’t have time to gather my own news, so what I know about the goings on in the world definitely comes through the filter of the experience of others. I suppose that is no different than watching the mainstream media. I’ve tried on occasion to balance by reading blogs I disagree with, but it usually winds up hurting my head.
I’ve recently had an epiphany of sorts. The dynamic of filters and the effect on the country has become obvious to me with the current Democratic primary. Since I mostly read progressive blogs, the primary race seems to be the biggest topic. I’ve noticed that many of the blogs I read have come down to one camp or the other. It seems the split is about 50/50 right now. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I’ve not yet made up my mind.
One difference between the battle of Left vs. Right blogs and Obama vs Clinton blogs is that there is essentially no difference between Clinton and Obama on policy. The glaring similarity is the polarization of the views. I’ve even seen some references to people that would vote for McCain if their preferred candidate did not win the Democratic nomination.
How long can we continue as a society that constantly defines itself as us versus them?
Ξ January 28th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ GLBT |
I knew that this would happen. Hopefully people are paying attention. I doubt it though.
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Jerry, over at ‘Back Home Again’ writes:
Coming from the speakers was a familiar tune: Chicago performing 25 or 6 to 4. We used to play that song 30+ years ago in the pep band for the high school basketball games. I played the saxophone. Peter Cetera’s wailing vocals, the perfect pitch Chicago horn section, the driving drum beat. But sometimes you don’t want to hear a pep band first thing in the morning. Just that quick, I hit the power button. In the dead silence of a winter morning I realized: I am OLD.
I think now might be a good time to explain my lack of posts lately. My partner got me the best Christmas present ever this year! I am now the proud owner of a Playstation 3. But wait! It gets even better. I also got the absolute best video game ever.
Rockband comes with a guitar, a microphone, and a set of drums. You can play individually, or add up to three others (if you have a second guitar controller, one will play as a bass). The setlist is pretty extensive, and you can buy new songs when they come out. I’m just glad they don’t require the use of the eyetoy. I’m sure two 40+ (going on 25) women look pretty silly playing this, but we are having a BLAST. Turns out Lisa is a pretty good drummer.
I would give the game a million stars, but there is one glaring problem with it right now. The guitar controllers were rushed to market and had a bit of a design flaw. Mine broke in the first week. The manufacturer is pretty good about replacing them, but it is just frustrating. I was able to fix the broken one using some rubber bands.
I just hope I don’t miss the UPS guy tomorrow. That way we can rock in New Year’s with a full band before I have to send the busted controller back.
For now, I think they should change their slogan to “Rockband. So realistic you need your own guitar tech”.
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The TV was on the Today show this morning as I was getting ready for work. They had a short clip on about one of the Bush twins being on Ellen Degeneres. Ellen asked her if it was easy for her to call her dad and she said “Sure”. Of course, Ellen replied “Let’s”. The entire time the Bush twin was freaked out thinking her dad would be mad. They talked to Laura first, and Ellen even told Laura that her daughter was freaked out and thinking she wouldn’t be getting any christmas presents because daddy would be too upset at her for calling.
No wonder he won’t let the common people talk to him. He apparently can’t even be bothered by his own daughter.
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Ξ December 4th, 2007 | → 0 Comments | ∇ GLBT |
Good to know the esteemed legislators got that whole property tax mess fixed before the session even started so they can get on to truly important trivial matters like this (From Jim Shella’s Blog):
Sen. Brandt Hershman will file SJR 7, the proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, in the 2008 General Assembly but it may not get a hearing.
Hershman say he plans to ask the Indiana House to take up the matter first and House Speaker Pat Bauer indicated months ago that he things the House has higher priorities. Bauer committed to a vote last year but not this year.
Hershman got the resolution through the state Senate last year only to see it die in the House and has no appetite to repeat the experience.
“I’ve been through it three times,” said Hershman, who also won previous approval in the Senate.
Defeat this year would mean that proponents of the ban will have to start from scratch in the process that can take five years.
Boo. Hoo.
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If only this were true. I don’t put much stock in polls. I think it might be a momentary anomaly. This IS Indiana, after all.
“Support among Hoosiers for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage appears to be on the decline, according to an Indianapolis Star-WTHR (Channel 13) poll.
“The poll, based on the responses of 600 people statewide, found that 49 percent of Hoosiers supported the amendment. That number is down from 56 percent in a March 2005 survey by The Star.
“Of the respondents, 44 percent said they opposed a constitutional ban, up from 40 percent in 2005.
I don’t really expect the Christianists to give up. This is a huge cash cow for them. I do think they are a bit preoccupied that their taxes are going up. At least if they skip it this year, they will have to start over. Then again, that means we will have at least two more election cycles of this nonsense.
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It seems John Street, current Mayor of Philly and a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage in the past, is planning on ‘officiating’ the commitment ceremony of his Deputy Secretary of External Affairs, Micah Mahjoubian. I’d like to say this is a big step, and point out the importance of being visible and changing the world one opinion at a time. However, this quote makes me believe Street’s change of heart has little chance of a transitive application and barely applies to Micah:
“It’s not marriage. It’s not real marriage. They can’t be married… It’s not a religious ceremony,” Street told the Philadelphia Inquirer. ”I mean, it’s not really marriage.”
Did he mention it wasn’t real? I do hold out hope that I’m wrong. After all, Micah knows him better than I and has this to say:
“To me, this is like a ‘Nixon goes to China’ thing. He came in as a mayor that a lot of people in our community were sceptical of, and yet he is going out able to accomplish more than anyone thought.”
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Via Masson’s Blog, looks like Senator Miller is at it again. SJR-2 Digest:
Prohibition of property taxes on church property. Proposes an amendment to the state constitution to exempt buildings and personal property regularly used for religious worship from property taxation. This proposed amendment has not been previously agreed to by a general assembly
I should have learned my lesson by now, but I just can’t help myself. I fired off a message to Senator Miller. Maybe she will be more responsive than my own Representative, Jeff Thompson.
RE: SJR-2
Senator Miller, Can you please explain to me how SJR-2 (exempting churches from property taxes) reconciles with Mark 12:13-17. I’ll quote from NIV to refresh your memory:
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?“ “Caesar’s,” they replied.Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.“ And they were amazed at him.
Thank you. I look forward to your email reply.
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I went to see if there were any other responses to yesterday’s challenge for thanksgiving. I’d half expected to be chided for my comments to be thinly veiled swipes at the IFI as others had been. Instead, I found this gem from my new favorite relative, Auntie Em. Her comment about being totally focused on sex caught my eye, so I did a google search of both sites. Googling veritasrex for sex returned about 58 results, compared to 62 here.
I thought that was kind of high and noticed that alot of my results were same-sex, so I googled sex -same instead. 13 on veritasrex, 4 here. SO, I guess that means rex has an absorption with narcissistic sex.
Rather than face the sinkful of dirty dishes, I thought I’d check in and see if anyone commented on my attempt at explaination on the “Welcome Back Lamb of God” post yesterday (my comment about left handed people). No one responded, so I clicked over here and my jaw dropped when I saw where you said “Show me the gay community has a life beyond absorption with narcissistic sex.” I am astounded, this is truly the pot calling the kettle black! It seems that nearly everything I read about gay people from Focus on the Family or Family Research Council is totally focused on sex, in particular on what sex acts the author imagines gay people getting up to.
I’ll admit I don’t know a lot of gay people — off the top of my head there’s the nice couple at church (two women) that are on the missions committee, the two men that run my husband’s and my favorite restaurant, the single guy that lives next door, and a grand-nephew — but I don’t define them by “sex acts” (for all I know they don’t engage in ANY sex acts), and I don’t think they define themselves that way either. Perhaps you hang out with a different crowd of gay people than I do.
As for me and what I’m thankful for this day, I’m thankful that I have a loving family and friends in numbers that crowded our small house this Thanksgiving Day (22 in all, and that included the two women from church and their 6-year-old son), and I am thankful that I had to actually stop and think (when I was writing this) about who’s gay and who isn’t. So I’m also thankful that I don’t have YOUR apparent obsession with sex.
Auntie Em
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Veritas Rex throws down a challenge:
are focused in some respect on homosexual marriage/gay unions/blah, blah, blah, blah. So prove me wrong today. Show me the gay community has a life beyond absorption with narcissistic sex. Show us you are truly “gay” as in thankful and happy.
Sadly, I noticed after the eloquent way in which the challenge was given (absorption, narcissistic), the folks who commented were chided for their heartfelt thanks being ‘nothing more than IFI bashing’.
So here it goes…
I’m thankful that I woke up this morning with another day to spend with those whom I love, and those who love me as well.
I’m thankful that I found a wonderful woman to spend the past 24 years with.
I’m thankful that we share the same values (fidelity and respect for each other), so we fully expect to spend the rest of our lives together.
I’m thankful that the constant questioning of the sincerity of our relationship has done nothing but strengthen the emotional bond we share (Although, I do admit, I would be even more thankful if we were just allowed to structure our family as we see fit without the scrutiny of well meaning folks).
I’m thankful knowing that God knows what is truly in my heart.
I’m thankful that I got to spend the day with my extended family (Dad’s side), and we had an awesome day filled with food, fun, football, and tons of love.
Finally, I’m thankful we live in a country that allows us to have differences of opinions in every area of life (Politics, Religion, Science, Sports, etc), and be able to discuss them in a calm, rational, and respectful way.
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