Liberals v. Conservatives

It is said only half in jest that a conservative is a liberal who just got mugged, and a liberal is a conservative who just got indicted.

- Hon. James P. Gray, Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It, A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs, 2001

War.

The nation... changed its songs. At first we sang of how we would knock the hell out of Helgoland and hang the Kaiser and march over there and clean up the mess them damn foreigners had made. And then suddenly we sang, "In the war's red curse stands the Red Cross nurse. She's the rose of No Man's Land," and we sang, "Just a baby's prayer at twilight, when lights are low. She climbs upstairs and says her prayers---Oh, God! please tell my daddy thaddy must take care---" I guess we were like a tough but inexperienced little boy who gets punched in the nose in the first flurry and it hurts and we wished it was over.

- John Steinbeck, East of Eden, 1952

Congratulations!

On Saturday, April 5th 2008, Alyssa and I had the distinct pleasure of attending the "Wedding of the Century" a.k.a. the nuptials of Glenn and Ashley Cook.

Here we are pictured at the reception. Good times!

I just want to take this opportunity to wish Glenn and Ashley health, wealth, and happiness. May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, slow to make enemies, and quick to make friends.

Oh Snap!

Someone's in trouble...

I happened upon this billboard, yesterday, on my way uptown to meet Alyssa, for lunch. You can read more about this "Scooby-doo Mystery," here, along with the devastating impact the theft has had on this church.

Here are some other billboards they put up across the area.

Slow down and save a... GALLON OF GAS

We have all seen these signs on our nation's interstates imploring the driver's of America to "Slow down and save a life." However, we all drive our automobile's speeds grossly disproportionate to what the Government has deemed a safe traveling speed. Are we so disenfranchised with our fellow men and women that we ignore these signs thus ignoring our ability to save a life?

Unlikely, we are all just caught up in the fast and furious pace of today's society. However, it is well documented that our fuel economy will increase if we drive slower. While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.

As an experiment, I drove "The Beast" uptown to meet Alyssa for lunch. I usually make the trip at speeds of anywhere between 65-85 mph. However, today I made the whole trip without traveling faster than 65 mph. It was actually very calming. We shall see what prolonged results my experiment has.

Which brings me to my next point. Observing the speed limit is also safer. As I was driving the speed limit (interstates and side streets), today, I noticed that had I been involved in an accident I would have likely been unharmed. 30 mph IS SO SLOW, but again very calming. I have decided that, if we all drove the speed limits assigned to the side streets, automobile accidents would fall by 70-80%. Honestly, at those speeds you would have to try to hit other cars in order to actually be involved in a collision.

I challenge you all to drive the speed limit. The benefits to your wallet and life far out weigh the ability to test the limits of your 4 cylinders.

Super-Jesus

I think it is no big surprise that I am a fan of the comic book character Superman. Why? I do not know. I chalk it up to having to choose a comic book candidate. Some people stand behind Batman or the Green Lantern, but for me the choice was clear, Superman.

Anyone, who is familiar with the story of Superman, will find it hard to deny the similarities between the life of Jesus Christ and the fiction of Superman. Allow me to elaborate:

- Superman, the only son of Jor-El, was sent to Earth and became humanity's savior; Jesus, the son of God, was sent to Earth to be humanity's Savior.

- When Superman's ship crash landed on Earth, he was discovered and later adopted by the Kents, of whom had no children of their own; Jesus was born of the virgin Mary.

- Little is known of the childhood and adolescence of Clark Kent/Superman; ditto for Jesus.

- Superman had super strength, could fly, had heat vision, was invulnerable, etc., etc.; Jesus performed many miracles including raising people from the dead, healing the sick, walking on water and turning water into wine.

- Superman set an example for humanity by his words/actions; ditto for Jesus.

- Superman died to save humanity from the alien Doomsday; Jesus died to save humanity from sin and their ultimate "doomsday."

- Superman was resurrected; ditto for Jesus.

Superman is no Jesus, but the similarities between the Life and the story are uncanny. Equally uncanny is the fact that Superman was created by two Jewish immigrants living in Cleveland, OH, during the early part of the last century.

The rub is that Jesus reveals himself to all of us in mysterious and wonderful ways. Each way is unique and tailored specifically to our needs regardless of who we are or where we come from. If we look hard enough we can see that his influence surrounds us everywhere.

"Live as one of them, Kal-El (Superman), to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son." -Jor-El (Superman's father)

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The
same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the
true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."
John 1:4-9, KJV

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
John 8:12, KJV

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
John 9:5, KJV

April Googles!

Today is April 1st 2008. No prank here.

However, this is the time of year Google's employees look forward to more than Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. This is the one day of the year when Google rolls out their annual barrage of pranks.

However, what is particularly appealing about the Google pranks are the fine line they straddle between reality and prank-ality.

I have so far discovered two, if you guys find any others let me know.

If you have ever dreamed of living on Mars with Virgin's founder Sir Richard Bronson then look no further than this budding space exploration program. Expertise in Guitar Hero II is a prerequisite.

Finally, Google has grown so powerful that they have learned to bend the space-time continuum. So that is what Sloley was doing over in Austria.