The many or the few?

Let us preface this by saying...Italy and the European Union are not the United States, nor do things that apply here have the same force as there and vice versa.

At the same time, there are certain principles that apply to both.

Here is an interesting news story.

Obviously, I have a few prejudices. One of them is anti-Catholic in the extreme.

Just as obviously, all of us have prejudices, and we do not always take into account the views of other people.

But this is a case I find singularly ridiculous. Certainly the woman is highly unlikely to be the only person there who feels that way.

Just as certainly, there are a great number of people who choose otherwise. Just as she wants to raise her kids without seeing the crucifix on the wall, they want to raise their kids WITH seeing it.

And it is hardly a new thing in Italy. That is the center and heart of the Catholic religion.

What I have never quite understood is why the "I wants" of the minority are somehow given more precedence and importance than the "I wants" of the majority in a legal sense.

Just as those who believe religion in some form of religion have not just the right but I would argue the responsibility to train their children to discern right from wrong, so do those who disbelieve.

I, for example, strongly believe the Bible is right...and that the religious jewelry is borderline blasphemous.

If you truly want to "celebrate the cross", get out an un-sanded piece of wood, cover it in blood and wear that. A gold cross is to the cross of Jesus what Hitler is to responsible leadership.

At the same time, if I had kids, did not want to see a cross on the wall but my kids were being educated there, instead of disallowing the choice most people made that put it there, I would show my kids why I believed it was erroneous.

For that matter, the long-disproved "evolutionary ladder", not believed by even the vast majority of the leading evolutionists, which still hangs on many school walls is for me what the crucifix is for her.

I find it nonsensical, bad science, and something that I wish wasn't there.

So is my best approach to go to court to try and force the schools to remove it...or to sit down with my (non-existent) kid, show them what things like Darwin's Black Box or a host of other books have done to show that it is an error-filled document with no credibility?

Most people are not going to A) do the research and/or B) believe what I believe.

So why should I, in the minority, be allowed to force what I want on everyone else?

I am not a huge Berlusconi fan, but on this, at least, I must say...kudos to you. Well done, hold your ground.

See, the problem is...

I brought books. Lots of them. 7 in total.

Well, okay, 5. I read 2 of them the day I got them from the library.

These were not, for the most part, short books. 350+ pages, most of them.

Unfortunately, I am...well...a fast reader. I finished 1 of them before I landed in Nashville. I finished another the same night. And another the night after, then 2 more.

For those keeping track at home, it is now Wednesday, and I have about 200 pages left on the Peloponnesian War to read.

And that is after the Goose was sweet enough to check out a book for me from Belmont library. First book she has ever checked out, and this is her second go-round.

Fortunately, it was an excellent book on Albert Bender, better known as "Chief" Bender. It investigates the racism he was subjected to as a Native American pitching in the World Series from 1905 through 1914 and even up to his Hall of Fame induction.

329 pages of sometimes funny, sometimes touching, sometimes anger-inducing looks into the things he simply accepted because "that's how it was" and a comparison to his role in reducing racism towards Native Americans to that of Jackie Robinson.

Started reading it about 11 this morning and finished it, including some extensive note-taking for Dreamcatchers about 4 o clock. Not including breaks to ride with the Goose to the hospital so she could pick up charts for "her" patient.

So yeah, since last Thursday I have read almost 2400 hundred pages on subjects ranging from this one to ancient Greece to basketball to poker to the theory of movie making.

Obviously, I love to read.

Just as obviously...I need to figure out how to slow down. Just sayin'

Happy Birthday, Goose

Ah, she was just a spring chicken when I married her, a touchdown of years further into her youth than where I sat.

Now 2+ years have gone by. And today she celebrates her birthday.

What magic was in the air that day some (censored) years ago when a happy (read "screaming") baby girl...I would have said young baby girl, but that might have seemed redundant...entered into this vale of tears to make it just a shade less vale-y...and a shade less tear-y.

At, least, for me.

Because yes, even as we celebrate her birthday, I still consider meeting and courting her one of the highlights of my life, one of the true blessings that lets me know that life is wonderful.

So here is hoping it is a wonderful year for her as she furthers her education. Here is hoping I can be the support system I ought. That I can give her strength, encouragement, and happiness.

Happy birthday, Goose. Love you.

A nap! a nap! My kingdom for a nap!

Strange as it sounds, my job kind of had a bad impact on my first full day out here.

See, I am still stuck on that ridiculous schedule. So I am up until 2,3, even 4 in the morning or later. And that is on PST. Which, by the way, is 2 hours before Nashville which means here I am up until 4,5, maybe 6 in the morning.

But the better half needs to sleep about 10 o'clock here time. 8 o clock our time.

So how do you work it so I can get to sleep 6 - 8 hours prior to the time I am tired enough to sleep?

I am not one of those persons who can just lay down, close my eyes and soon enough drop off to sleep. I need to be quite tired before I can drop off...sleep for me is almost something that only comes when I am overly fatigued, even though I know I need it and want it.

A few years ago I tried sleeping pills. They woke me up.

I have tried physically exhausting myself during the day. All too often it means I am too tired to sleep.

I have tried reading boring tomes. Sadly, my love of history has turned even investigations into the minutiae of early Spartan life into fascinating reading.

I have tried counting sheep. They ran out of sheep before I ran out of numbers.

*sigh*

Stupid job.

Though I guess I could blame Canada instead...

"bring a coat" she says but it is sunny and like a billion degrees here!

What a sweet and happy reunion. Okay, heading home now.....

On ground in nashville. Just park this beast so i can see my missed one!!!!!

Ah, denver...a foot of snow which makes the sun blinding

Boarded and ready for liftoff. Flight attendant is witch...hope she brought broom in case of crash

Checked in and rocking 30 min.utes sleep. Oh yeah!

Coming soon to a theatre near you

This Thursday/Friday, a terrible event will befall the American continent. Viewers from Canada to Mexico will be subjected to something they should not have to suffer.

A pedophile ("alleged") who died under "mysterious circumstances" and subsequently regained hero status has a post-humous ode to his greatness released.

This Is It is a paean to Michael Jackson, the late singer/bankrupt multimillionaire/hanger of children over balconies/entertainer/all around weirdo who is being hailed as hero and all around good guy.

Much like a finished Elvis saw his career resurrected merely by suffering the inconvenience of dying, Jackson is reaching new heights of popularity.

Now, on the one hand, this is disappointing to me. It once more confirms my faith in the ability of the sheeple to show no good taste whatsoever.

On the other hand, it seems a good career path for certain other people who need to resurrect their reputation.

Like Lindsey Lohan.
Paris Hilton
Jon and Kate. We will not go there for the 8.
Octomom.
Tila Tequila.
Bret Michaels.
Okay, lets save time...any loser who has, will have, or has considered having a trumped up ridiculous "reality show" which takes away tv time from quality television shows like...such as...for example...uhm...

Well, okay, so really outside of the Simpsons and NBA basketball, we could all save a lot of time by ignoring tv, but the joke stands.

All "celebrities" who are famous mostly for publicly humiliating yourself while demonstrating little to no actual talent, please consider following Michael's career choice. If you save time and all go Jim Jones on us and nobody comes to replace you, it would even be worth suffering the inevitable "moving tribute" movie. Maybe instead of This is It you could all post-humously star in a show called This is...hmmm. what word could I put in there? Something that reflects your alue, talent, and usefulness and the smell your shows left behind? Aha, got it.

Allofit.