RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL

RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Congressional Democrats blasted former Education Secretary William Bennett on Thursday for saying that aborting "every black baby in this country" would reduce the crime rate, and demanded their Republican counterparts do the same.

"This is precisely the kind of insensitive, hurtful and ignorant rhetoric that Americans have grown tired of," said Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Illinois.

Bennett, who held prominent posts in the administrations of former presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, told a caller to his syndicated radio talk show Wednesday: "If you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose -- you could abort every black baby in this country and your crime rate would go down.

"That would be an impossibly ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down," he said.

I was really disturbed by such a blatant and ignorant statement made by someone who held a high and influential position in government. I thought that as a society we have made strides in bridging the gap between whites and minorities, but this statement just puts to the fore front that we are still a long way from getting along.

EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS???

HAVE YOU EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS????
Have you ever had one those days in which nothing makes sense and all you want to do is crawl back into your shell like a turtle? Ever had one of those days in which you just want to pull your hair out, but you can't because you have none? Ever had one those days in which you feel like everyone is ganging up against you for no particular reason? Ever had one of those days in which people are making judgments about your character and you as a person? Ever had one of those days in which you feel like you are misunderstood? Ever had one of those days in which you are unable to properly communicate how you truly feel, and so everyone around you gets the wrong message or the wrong idea? Ever had one of those days in which people tell you what you can and can not do? Ever had one of those days where you just want to be left alone to swim in your own thoughts? Ever had one of those days in which you have to feel defensive because people are prying into your own personal business? Ever had one of those days when people impose their own values, beliefs, and perceptions on you? Ever had one of those days when you feel a little closer to God than you did the day before? Ever had one of those days where you feel trapped in a corner? Ever had one of those days where you baited into an argument that you can not win? Ever had one of those days where you feel like the walls are closing in on you? Ever had one of those days when the dentist forgets to inject you with anesthesia? Ever had one of those days? Have you? Well I have...

WHERE DO SEEDLESS WATERMELONS COME FROM?

WHERE DO SEEDLESS WATERMELONS COME FROM?
The obvious question asked about growing seedless watermelons is: "How does one obtain seed of a seedless watermelon?" Obviously, you cannot save seed from a seedless watermelon. So, where do the seeds come from? Simply stated, the number of chromosomes (the threadlike bodies within cells that contain the inheritance units called genes) in a normal watermelon plant is doubled by the use of the chemical colchicine. Doubling a normal (diploid) watermelon results in a tetraploid plant (one having four sets of chromosomes). When the tetraploid plant is bred back, or pollinated, by a diploid or normal plant, the resulting seed produces a triploid plant that is basically a "mule" of the plant kingdom, and it produces seedless watermelons. Seed of seedless varieties are available from most major seed companies.
- by Jerry Parsons

SOMETIMES I JUST WANT TO PULL MY HAIR OUT

SOMETIMES I JUST WANT TO PULL MY HEART OUT, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY...
I was on a roll this morning. I woke up and went to my office, and I was inspired to write something really profound and thought provoking. So I opened up my blogger, and began my exploration of deep personal thoughts about individuality, conformity, capitalism, and realism. It was an intense deconstruction of myself and how I rationalized the decisions I have made in life. I was very impressed, and I tooted my horn quiet a few times. After a few hours of editing, and careful disection, I was finally ready to post it. And for whatever reason blogger wouldn't accept it, and I lost everything. I was unable to recover what I write. It's really frustrating. I tried to rewrite it, but the inspiration and purpose was already lost, and I was left trying to grab every little bit of my bald head to express my frustration. This is not the first time that I have written something so profound in my blog only to have wiped away thanks to bloggers mistimed timer. I hope can mentally recover some of those insights and post them here one day.

LOOK AT THE STARS...

LOOK AT THE STARS...
After finishing Lee Strobel's book, The Case For A Creator, I've been piqued by my own spiritual exploration. One of the things that has really soaked in me is a quote from Alister McGrath.

Many have found that the awesome sight of the star-studded heavens evoke a sense of wonder, an awareness of transcendence, that is charged with spiritual significance. Yet the distant shimmering of stars does not itself create this sense of longing; it merely exposes what is already there. They are catalysts for our spiritual insights, revealing our emptiness and compelling us to ask whether and how this void might be filled.

Might our true origins and destiny somehow lie beyond those stars? Might there not be a homeland, from which we are presently exiled and to which we secretly long to return? Might not our accumulation of discontenment and disillusionment with our present existence be a pointer to another land where our true destiny lies and which is ableto make its presence felt now in this haunting way?

Suppose that this is not where we are meant to be but that a better land is at hand? We don't belong here. We have somehow lost our way. Would not this make our present existence both strange and splendid? Strange, because it is not where our true destiny lies; splendid because it points ahead to where that real hope might be found. The beauty of the night skies or a glorious sunset are important pointer to the origins and the ultimate fulfillment of our heart's deepest desires. But if we mistake the signpost for what is singposted, we will attach our hopes and longings to lesser goals, which cannot finally quench our thirst for meaning.

MEET SUFJAN STEVENS

MEET SUFJAN STEVENS

In the world of indie folk rock music, Sufjan Stevens is that rare breed that can make Christianity, excellent storytelling, and intimate folk melodies blend into one amazing charismatic masterpiece. His songs are thoughtful, biblical, contemplative, and ambitious - he plans to memorialize every last state of the union. While most white Christian rock is basically vilified by the mainstream, and is criticized for lack of substance, Stevens has escaped the same criticism. He is loved by both Christian and non-Christian audiences.

In his interview with Pitchfork Magazine, Stevens says, "when people react reflexively to material that is religious, they're reacting to the culture of religion. And I think an enlightened person is capable, on some level, of making the distinction between the institution of the culture and the culture itself. The institution of Christianity, the way that it's set up, it's institutionalized and comodified, and anytime that happens, anytime it's incorporated, it leads to disaster. I'm on the same page as everyone. I have the same knee-jerk reaction to that kind of culture. Maybe I'm a little more empathetic to it because we have similar fundamental beliefs. But culturally and aesthetically, some of it is really embarrassing."

The question that Sufjan Stevens poses in his last two albums, Michigan and Illinois, is can a person be a liberal, enlightened, modern person, and still believe in God? It is a question that he doesn't have an answer. It is a question that I am currently struggling with. It's a much deeper conviction, and it's larger than you and me. It is a question of God, existence, destiny, and faith. Answers to these questions all have implications, and its nice to see an artist exploring this aspect of the human experience.

THOUGHTS ON LOS ANGELES
"Los Angeles is Magic. It's yellow-orange-red and the smog makes everything blurry in a good way. I hate when people come to Los Angeles and just bitch, bitch bitch. I know it's not New York. I know it's not Chicago. Yes, some of the people here are fake. Shut up and go home."
-Ileana Douglas

TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY

TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY
Avast, me hearties! Shiver Me Tivers! In celebration of Talk Like A Pirate Day, here are ten pickup lines to use for International Talk Like A Pirate Day.



10. Come on up and see me urchins.
9. Pardon me, but would ya mind if fired me cannon through your porthole?
8. How'd you like to scrape the barnacles off of me rudder?
7. Wanna shiver me timbers?
6. That’s the finest pirate booty I’ve ever laid eyes on.
5. I’ve sailed the seven seas, and you’re the sleekest schooner I’ve ever sighted.
4. Well blow me down!
3. I'd love to drop anchor in your lagoon.
2. That’s some treasure chest you’ve got there.
1. Brwaack! Polly want a cracker? … Oh, wait. That’s for Talk Like a PARROT Day.

BURNING MAN: PRICELESS

BURNING MAN: PRICELESS

THE FACTS OF LIFE

THE FACTS OF LIFE

THE MAN IS UP

THE MAN IS UP
Gosh it's not supposed to hurt this much. It is so gut wrenching to realize that all my playa bears and bunnies are frolicking around in the desert right now. I manage to steal some pictures from the set up of Burning Man to appease my appetite, but it has let me hungry for more.