Right Wing Lunatic

Go, George, Go!!

2006-08-30T15:14:00.000-04:00

Am I the only one whose rooting for Chicken George. He and Janelle in the final two. I hate Mike Boogers. And I can't stand Dr. Will's smirk. I am a bit concerned that Janelle may be taken in with Will's showmance in her. I don't think to the degree that Erica is with boogers. I mean, he won't even make a commitment to bring you to the final two.

I'm totally pissed that I'm missing Thursday's show due to a social commitment. It's going to be eviction, HOH comp, noms, POV comp, Veto ceremony, and another eviction. Although the houseguests don't know it. I hope we don't get stupid noms.

Meanwhile, tonite, we get the premiere of Bones and the premiere of Justice. I may give Justice a chance because it has SpyDaddy.

I' m just not excited about TV this year, other than Veronica Mars. I'm on the queue at the library for Season 2 Lost. I missed it last year to watch Veronica Mars, so I want to catch up incase I want to watch Lost this year. Otherwise, I'll be totally Lost.

Ordinary Time

2006-08-30T12:56:00.000-04:00

Well, since Christmas is way over, I guess I should remove the cute little picture from my sidebar. I guess I'll eventually be successful with that.

edited to add: Woo-hoo. I did it. (I really hate fucking around in the template, cause I usually end up really fucked up, but I accomplished it this time!)

Movies, Movies, Movies!!!

2006-08-30T12:34:00.000-04:00

My almost 3 year old son is a real Madagascar fan. It's noon and we've already watched it four times today. And I have to say, the movie is twisted. The animals are wandering through the rainforest to the tune of Louis Armstrong's It's a Wonderful World. During this segment, we get to see a hummingbird swallowed by a carnivorous flower. Some cute fluffy animal escape from a constrictor snake, only to be carried off by a bird of prey. The animals then rescue a cute little duckling that crosses their path and return him to the pond, only to see a giant alligator leap from the water and munch him in one bite.

I think the moral of the movie is nature sucks. Don't romanticize wild, wide open spaces because they're dangerous. Civilization is much cooler.

It's sort of like the message I got from The Hills Have Eyes. Stick to the main routes and don't go off exploring on any scenic detours. You only end up stranded and/or murdered by the locals.

All my husband got out of it was that nuclear testing is bad. Poor man can't get below the surface. He read Slaughterhouse Five as a sci-fi novel.

TV Tonite

2006-01-06T18:41:00.000-05:00

Book of Daniel is on tonite. Critics hate it. Christians hate it. Gotta watch it. Might be my only chance. Let's see if I make it through, or turn it off in disgust. Well, they're only Episcopalians.

It's a Big Big World

2006-01-06T18:16:00.000-05:00

Have any of you seen this show? For some reason, my 2 year old son hates it. He watches Barney, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, Boo-bah, but gets upset at this one. Maybe the world tree and the creepy animals are too much. Smart kid.

Happy Epiphany

2006-01-06T18:13:00.000-05:00

Well it's the Epiphany, unless you're a Catholic who lives in the United States, in which case it's move to this Sunday. And so we wrap up Christmas, and start Mardi Gras. Unless you're old fashioned, in which case, Christmas keeps going till February.

Merry Christmas

2006-01-06T17:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I hope you all had a good holiday. Mine was interesting. Went to the in-laws. Had my Christmas Catholic mother-in-law, big believer in the Da Vinci Code. My Unitarian sister-in-law who's married to a Jew of a sort. She celebrates the holidays, but doesn't really believe in any of that. Seems rather hostile to religion. I truly think that she finds it bizarre for someone's faith to mean something. Then there's my father-in-law. He's theoretically a United Methodist, but more of a "I have a Bible, that's all I need" type, since he has ideas which didn't pop up until the mid 19th century, with self-proclaimed preachers with no theological training, going just by what their Bibles told them, and not understanding the language or the times in which they were written.

If you think I'm talking about the Lord's brethren, you'd be right. Man's probably a Nestorian, too, but I didn't press the issue. Fucker accused me of not believing the Bible. But as to Nestorianism, if your're going to be a heretic, might as well go for one of the great heresies.

Then there's the SIL, who really didn''t want to go to mass with the rest of the houshold, then made a comment about keeping an eye on the priest when he was near the children, I mean, this was right in front of the sanctuary, in a crowded nave. What an asshole. Then at Christmas dinner had to start about women priests. I sure be able to enjoy my Christmas dinner without having to defend my faith.

She is the personification of everything I hate about liberals. All tolerant about things a good liberal should be: gays, etc. But the faces she makes when her cousin comes up, who is expecting his fifth child in February. Five! Not being a good contraceptor goes against her values of ABC. What's it to her? She's supposed to be some tolerant liberal. Typical left wing hypocracy.

And I get to see them all in the spring for my daughter's First Communion.

And we'll probably go back in the summer.

Pray for me.

I'm Back!!!

2006-01-06T17:53:00.000-05:00

Took a nice long break for Christmas, but I have returned.

Jim Petro Redux

2005-12-02T18:31:00.000-05:00

Well Petro has a new commercial out. He believes that life begins at conception, and that marriage is forever, or maybe for life, I can't quite recall.

Pan images of a baptismal certificate, pacifier, nice navy leatherbound Bible, family photo's. Screeech, reverse. That Bible. Says Holy Bible on the front. What does it say on the spine? It appears to say "King James Version".

Jim, Jim, Jim. I thought you were Catholic. We don't use the King James Version. Did you leave the Church or something?

More likely, you're trying to appeal to fundamentalist Protestants, whom you see as your conservative base. Can't make it too obvious your not one of them.

I was going to vote for you Jim, I really was.

But, alas, I can't support a man who sells out on his faith to appease a bunch of Chick Tracters. Looks like Blackwell now.

But We're Catholics

2005-12-02T15:49:00.000-05:00

Call me crazy, but I think a parish ought to foster, instill, and reinforce a Catholic identity in it's people. They ought not to be acting like a bunch of "Bible Christians."

Okay, my Church is putting on a Christmas play. In this play, Mary has sisters. They also have the chorus singing this "L'Chaim" song containing verses about "romance" and crap.

Our music director really needs to read the Proto-Evangelium of James. You should, too. It's not long, a really easy narrative, and rather interesting.

It's not considered inspired (obviously, or else it would be in the Bible), but it is considered worthwhile for a historical perspective of what the earliest Christians believe.

The longheld pious tradition that Mary was an only child--toss it. Hey while were at it, let's be out and out heretics and give Jesus blood siblings.

The fact that Mary was raised in the Temple isn't a Doctrine of the Faith, and believing it isn't necessary for our salvation. Nevertheless, November 21 commemorates her parents leaving her there.

And I kinda like the idea of a play where they gather the geezers, and have them draw straws on who has to marry Mary. Marry Mary! Ha! Say that 5 times fast.

Arrggghhh!!!

2005-12-02T15:25:00.000-05:00

I'm pulling my hair out in frustration here, people. And basshing my head against the wall.

A commision is supposedly recommending the Church ditch limbo. Which is fine. What I can't stand is the misrepresentations of the reporting. There is no need for this Reuters reporter to check facts or anything, as we all know what Catholics believe.

Limbo -- the place where the Catholic Church teaches that babies go if they die before being baptized -- may have its days numbered...The Catholic Church teaches that babies who die before they can be baptized go to limbo, whose name comes from the Latin for "border" or "edge," because they deserve neither heaven nor hell.

Gee, that's not what the Cathecism says. This is what the Church actually teaches.

As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,"⁶⁴ allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.

And this:

According to Italian media reports on Tuesday, an international theological commission will advisePope Benedict to eliminate the teaching about limbo from the Catholic catechism.

A hundred bucks to the first person to find limbo in the Catechism. You won't because ain't there!

Limbo is theological speculation. A theory formulated to resolve the dilemma of those who die without personal sin but with original sin. It was never formally defined by the Church, much less elevated doctrine. Who can believe in it, but you're free not to. It's not revealed truth, nor does it contradict revealed truth.

Here's what Cardinal Ratzinger had to say back in 1984:

"Limbo has never been a defined truth of faith," he said. "Personally, speaking as a theologian and not as head of the Congregation, I would drop something that has always been only a theological hypothesis."

You Can't Make This Shit Up

2005-11-29T11:19:00.000-05:00

Plus, his parent were sick fucks. Who in their right mind would name a kid Ronald, if your last name is McDonald?

Get the Story.

The Asshole Brigade

2005-11-28T16:33:00.000-05:00

As you know, I'm going to the in-laws for Christmas, which I haven't done since 2001. At that time, we spent Christmas Eve with the father-in-law (who already had plans to spend it at his sister's and we along) and Christmas Day with the mother-in-law.

This year, I thought it would be nice to switch. I sent out an e-mail saying so. My mil got right to plan making for Christmas Eve. It took a week for hubands stepmother to send this e-mail.

Hi. Our plans are to go to Janice on Christmas EVE.. and I ALWAYS go to my Moms house every Christmas day with my family. The family is welcome to come over the 26th .. I do need to work the week before Christmas and my schedule is hectic before any holiday.Since the 26th is on a Sunday, we will be home. That is our plan....

Would have been to much to call us when I suggested the plan to say it won't work. Then I sould have called my mil right away and see if we could switch, but no.

Besides, why does a 60 some year old woman need to go running to her mommy's. It's not every year her husbands son and grandchildren come for Christmas. And if it's an issue of her kids, why not say, why don't you guys come over for Christmas, John's son'll be over,...Hell, why not invite us to your mother's. It's not like we didn't traet you and mother to lunch at The Boneyard this past June.

So the MIL is having us Eve and Day. She must be thrilled. We'll see granpa day after. My mother-in-law had wanted to take the girls to lunch at American Girl Place, and see the sights in New York. OH well. We can't have everything our way. Maybe we can do that right before Christmas.

Right Lung, Meet Left Lung

2005-11-28T16:22:00.000-05:00

One of my local TV stations airs the Divine Lliturgy of St John Chrysostom on Thursdays at 11am. I decided to have my daughters watch this, teach them how they are just as Catholic as we are, one big Church different liturgies, blah, blah, fishcakes.

So I get this:

He's turning his back on his people!
No, he's leasing them in prayer.
He has his back to them!
He's like a general, and they are the people, all marching together toward God. In fact, in our Church, it was this way until Grandma was Aunt Julie's age,
That's not how I see it! He's turning his back on his people.

I tried to point out the similarities, like the Creed but they say "visible and invisible" instead of "seen and unseen". The kid just wants to know why they are singing it. Well, they sing the whole liturgy except for the homily.

She then starts to sing a recap of the homily (about a monkey getting it's paw stuck in a melon and being captured by a hunter). She was paying attention afterall!

It's That Time of Year

2005-11-28T16:15:00.000-05:00

I've just about finished my Christmas shopping. I still have to get stuff for my kids' teachers, and for my niece's birthday. Dec 14--I just lump it in with Christmas shopping.

I got my mother-in-law a Chia Herb garden. My sister tells me it was a bad gift, she also thinks her fondue pot was a bad gift.

I got Hickory Farms gift boxes for my dad and father-in-law, cause they're impossible to buy for.

I got jedmunds something totally gay, but I didn't realize that till I already bought it, so I went out and got something different. OOh buyer's remorse.

I like Christmas shopping, but I hate spending the money, and stressing over whether I have enough to but presents this year, and the credit card bill when it comes in.

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving.

Me too, Barbara, Me too.

2005-11-28T15:59:00.000-05:00

Barbara Nicolosi has http://churchofthemasses.blogspot.com/2005/11/meme-confession.html recently admitted that:

I confess, I too have never read The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

I have never read these books, either. And it disturbs me greatly. The story is supposedly very Catholic. JRR Tolkien was a devout Catholic, one of his sons was a priest, and he converted CS Lewis from atheism to Christianity (though Lewis was never able to swim the Tiber). it's like you can't be a good Catholic and not like Tolkien.

But the books just bore me. And I fell asleep during the first movie. Well K-Mart had the DVD's on sale this past weekend. I picked up all three for $24. Maybe one of these nights when there's nothing good on, I watch one.

Fr Fushek Arrested

2005-11-22T16:39:00.000-05:00

For supposed molestation. Mark Shea has some interesting commentary, as does Jimmy Akin. Amy Wellborn has some excerpts from the actual charges.

Now even though I'm no fan of Lifeteen, I'm not gleeful over this as some of the redtrads are. Yes, "The mass never ends, it must be lived, go and live the mass" is downright cheesy, not to mention against the rubrics. And all the the teens gathered 'round the alter for the consecration is an unquestionable liturgical abuse. And upbeat contemporary Christian music kinda sucks. Well, it really sucks, actually.

But Fr. Fushek bowed to the authority of the Church and discontinued them when told to due so, and instructed other chapters to do so. The fact that some Lifeteen chapters continue to disobey, and violate the rubrics, is unfortunate, but irrelevant.

I don't believe in recovered memories. The current allegations involve confession, which means the Father is screwed, even if innocent, because he can't defend himself without breaking the seal of confession, which is of course, excommunicable

New Lows of Ridiculosity

2005-11-22T16:01:00.000-05:00

Yes. This is from those charming people at PETA. "If you have pets, keep them away from daddy, cause he might gut them, too?" (paraphrase). My goodness gracious.

My Dissapointed Child

2005-11-22T13:32:00.000-05:00

The kids wanted to go to New York for Thanksgiving, but we decided to stay home because it is a short holiday, and go to New York for Christmas instead. Apparantly, nit everyone got the second half of the memo.

My child: Jedmunds isn't coming for Thanksgiving, huh?
Me: No, I don't think so.
Child: But he's coming for Christmas right?
Me: Yes, I think so but we won't be here.
Child: (pauses) What do you mean, we won't be here?
Me: We're going to New York for Christmas.
Her: I hate you!! (Car door slams)

Aah. The cult of jedmunds. And an impossible child.

And Petro's Out of the Gate!!!

2005-11-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

So, the primaries are what, seven months away? And Jim Petro has his gubernatorial campaign up and running. Not a day goes by when one doesn't see a commercial. One would think we at the height of campaign season. Well, I now know that

As Auditor of State, Petro returned 15 million? billion? well 15 something. Oh wait his commersial just aired, it's 30 million to the people of Ohio.
As Attorney General, he returned millions more
He wants to save money by restructuring government.
He wants to set a tax ceiling, unlike Ken Blackwell's "risky scheme". He doesn't actually say "risky scheme", at least, I don't think so. But the tone is there.

All I know is, it's too early to know who I'm voting for. I don't who the Democrats are putting up. I think I may have heard rumore of Ted Strickland. I just wish Jerry! would run. I might register as a D just to v ote for him.

RIP Pobert Hilkert

2005-11-10T15:07:00.000-05:00

The pastor of my childhood parish died this week. On Halloween was the funeral for one of the deacons at the same parish, who had baptized one of my children.

Makes me feel old 'ya know?

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Cathedral in Rome

2005-11-09T13:30:00.000-05:00

More properly called the Patriarchal Basilica of the Most Holy Savior and Saint John the Baptist at the Lateran. You know, the Pope's "home" church. Many people think that that is St Peter's Basilica, but no, it's St John Lateran. St. Peter's is assigned to the Patriarch of Constantinople, for when he's in Rome, if he were to ever reunite with Rome.

So the Churches of Rome:

1. St John Lateran-The Patriarch of the West, aka the Pope
2. St Peter-The Patriarch of Constantinople
3. St Paul-The Patriarch of Alexandria
4. St. Mary Major-The Patriarch of Antioch
5. St. Lawrence Outside the Walls-The Patriarch of Jerusalem

Of course these schisms would have to end, the Patriarch submit to the authority of the Pastor of the Universal Church (aka the Pope) to claim their Patriarchal sees in within Rome.

Synods and synods

2005-11-09T11:18:00.000-05:00

The World Synod of Bishops has ended. They've come up with some interesting proposals, although they tried to link every issue to the Eucharist (ie polygamy and the Eucharist).

Now a new synod has started and runs through through Saturday, specifically for the Chaldean Catholic Church. I will be held at the Vatican. There was another Chaldean synod held earlier this year in Baghdad.

Some big issues are:

The big influx of evengelicals trying to "Christianize" them. I mean, come on, aren't there plenty of Muslims to target?
The exodus from their homeland due to the war.
De-latinizing their liturgy, although some like it just the way it is.

So let's all them in our thoughts, and hope for the best for this Church.

An Update on the Urine Thing

2005-11-08T17:44:00.000-05:00

So the teacher announced to the class that they can go potty if they need to. She also talked to my daughter privately.

Except my daughter won't tell me what she said. She only said that I'll send another e-mail and she'll get in more trouble.

I told her if she doesn't tell me, I'm definately send another e-mail, along the lines of

Dear Mrs X,

I understand that you clarified to the class that they may use the restroom as need be, and you also talked to my daughter separatley. However, thelil'lunatic will not tell me what was said, only that "You'll send another e-mail and I'll get into even more trouble." Naturally I'm very concerned about this and hope that we can get to the bottom of this.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Lunatic

Until the next time.

Another Mark for the "Homeschool" Column

2005-11-08T17:25:00.000-05:00

My little girl came home from school yesterday, telling me that she "peed a little". Apparantly, her teacher wouldn't let her use the restroom, she needed to ask like five times. So when she was finally able to go, she didn't quite make it.

Naturally concerned by this, I wrote the teacher a note. Supposedly, it's a rule in the classroom, you can go if the teacher says no and you have to. Why not just let the kid go in the first place. Why teach them to be subversive. (Actually I told her the same thing. Next time, just go. If you get a detention, I'll straighten it out. {There is a place for discerning civil disobedience}. I tried to recommend just pee on the floor, but my husband said that would brand us as psychos.)

Anyway, children are often intimidated by those in authority. Not many have the audacity to defy the teacher and go waltzing out of the classroom, or rather galloping, as the case may be.

Merry Christmas!!!

2005-11-08T17:10:00.000-05:00

No it's not Christmas. It's almost as good though. It's election day! I love election day. It's so exciting. I can't wait for the polls to close, and the returns to start scrolling across my television screen. Even though it's an off year, it's still good.

How will Issues 2, 3, 4, and 5 turn out?
What about Issue 117?

Who will be the mayor of Cleveland?
How about the 8 people running for the 4 spots on my suburbs city council?
And the Board of Education?
The garbage fee?

Who will win that nasty gubernatorial race in New Jersey?
The parantal consent law in California?

Only about two hours left.
My heart's all a jittery.

Flu Shots

2005-11-07T14:31:00.000-05:00

Okay. Today was the big take the kids to get their flu shots day.

Child #1-age 2--perfect angel. Didn't even cry.

Child #2-age 7--needs vaccine--very good. Afterwards said, "gee that hurt"

Child #3-age 9--determined not to get shot. Totally uncooperative. If you've never expieienced trying to hold someone down while also removing some clothing, you've never lived. In the end, two nurses and a doctor were required to get her the shot. I could have been more forceful with her, but I didn't want CPS called on me. Because I really felt like doing something that would get CPS called on me.

The Catholic Church and the Bible

2005-11-07T08:06:00.000-05:00

Over at Pandagon, there has been a lot of misunderstanding as to how Catholics regard the Bible.

I'm here to clear those up. the Catholic Church believes the Bible is the inerrant word of God. However, not everything in it is literalistically true. It contains poetry, allegory, metaphor, etc.

It is historically true, but not necessarily historically accurate. The writer's weren't ther to write a history text, but to relay events from their perspective as these events relate to our salvation and our relationship with God.

The moment the evangelicals admit that the bible is not the inerrant truth and infallable is the moment they have no way of sticking their head in the sands and refusing to hear our stories of how the earth is not flat and that we all evolved from primates. It is the moment that doubt enters their minds.

Actually, protestants often say that the the Bible is a "fallible collection of infallible books". Catholics believe that the Bible is infallible, in matters of faith morals and salvation. However, we do recagnize different types of literary devices.

If you think the inerrantists are nuts[*] you'll just love the "King James Only" crowd. Ayup - there are people who honestly believe that the King James bible is the sole true scripture. I shit you not.

Yup. And not only that, some people think only the 1611 version in acceptable. It's like somehow this particular version was dropped out of sky by God himself, and that Jesus and his apostles went around speaking King James English.

I remember having a conversation with a woman who was studying to be a nun, and who had a very cynical view of human nature, in which she was explaining why she thought the authority of the Catholic Church was necessary. In her view, Protestants simply tried to substitute the authority of the Bible for the authority of the Church, which she felt was naive, since individuals couldn't really interpret the Bible properly.

If that's anything like an accurate presentation of the Catholic position, then it would make perfect sense that the Catholic Church would reject any notion of Biblical inerrancy -- if it was flawless, there'd be no need for the authority of the Church.

First of all, the Catholic Church does believe that the Bible is inerrant. However, if all we needed was the Bible, and we were all able to interpret it properly all by ourselves, there wouldn't be 30,000 different Protestant sects out there, all using the Bible as their guide. And part of the authority of the Church Magisterium is the authority to coerrectly interpret the Bible. Hell-they compiled the New Testement. They look at Tradition and the writings of the early church fathers to understand how the earliest Christians understood something, which is how we understand it.

If the Pope says the bible isn't exactly true, the bible isn't exactly true.

You really need to get a better grasp on Papal infallibility. Try here .

Those Darn French Riots

2005-11-07T07:51:00.000-05:00

I am really worried about the future of Europe. As we all should know, these are the Muslim Frenchman who are rioting. A crises that has been festering in Europe is slowly coming to a simmer.

ManyEuropean countries have a sizable Muslim minority that is and refuses to be assimilated. Combine that with the fact that aside from the Muslims, Europeans don't have children. How many years until these countries have Muslim majorities, and then western law is replaced with Islamic law?

I think that the Islamists may finally succed, this time in a more slow and insidious way, their longterm goal. They had been thwarted in 1683 by Polish King John (Jan) Sobieski at the Battle of Vienna, in 1571 in the naval battle on the Mediteranean at Lepanto, and in 732 at Tours/Poitiers by Charles Martel.

Yes, if things don't change, the Muslim exapnse into Europe may finally be achieved.

And a school of thought believes that once an area is in Muslim hands, it should remain so, or be recaptured. I do think certain fanatics do want to achieve that. They lost Spain 700 years ago, after holding it for 700 years. There is also Greece, and a big chunk of Southeast Europe.

European nations need to get control of there countires. They need to stop granting asylum to radical clerics who advocate the overthrow of secular nations. You'd've thunk Theo Van Gogh's murder wwould have been a wake up call. Hopefully this will be.

But I doubt it. The lefty's keep going on about a marginalized minority. Let's acknowledge that they at least partially marginialize themselves. God save us from the bleeding hearts.

Woo-hoo!!!

2005-11-07T07:35:00.000-05:00

After an interminable hiatus, Arrested Development is on tonight! And for a full hour. I hope it's a good one. It better be a good one. So pop some corn, sit back, and enjoy.

The Liberal Agenda of the Entertainment Industry Strikes Again

2005-11-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

I'm sure most of you guys watched CSI last night. If I had a personal relationship with one of their writers, I'd have one thing to say:

"Cite?"

For those of you who may have missed the eppy, Catherine claims to a Dr. who runs an embryo adoption service that that some Pope (I can't remember if she said 1600's or 16th century) said that a fetus wasn't human until the 40th day. And implied that that had been the position of the Catholic Church.

Cause I sure as hell can't find any type of papal document from the medieval/renaissance period saying that a fetus wasn't human until such and such a point. And this is after spending significant time at New Advent, a website I generally avoid.--too cerebral for me.

The fact remains that the Catholic Church has always opposed abortion. For Example:

The woman who purposely destroys her unborn child is guilty of murder. With us there is no nice enquiry as to its being formed or unformed. In this case it is not only the being about to be born who is vindicated, but the woman in her attack upon herself; because in most cases women who make such attempts die. The destruction of the embryo is an additional crime, a second murder, at all events if we regard it as done with intent. The punishment, however, of these women should not be for life, but for the term of ten years. And let their treatment depend not on mere lapse of time, but on the character of their repentance.

St Basil, 188 AD

Sure, there have been philosophical/theological debates about exactly when ensoulment happens. Aquinas happened to believe it took 40 days for conception to complete.

Nevertheless, no Pope ever made any binding declaration of the type CSI implied. And even if some Pope held to some personal view which doesn't hold up to modern science, the fact is it's no more binding than if Benedict said he likes Domino's better than Papa John's. It doesn't set an official Church position on the pizza wars.

Besides, why the fuck does it offend their pro-choice sensibilities if someone chooses embryo adoption, rather than dumping them or destroying them for their stem cells? I guess they feel that valuing these nascent little lives undermines their "choice" position.

The Rare Lefty Post

2005-11-03T14:24:00.000-05:00

I took my daughter the pulmonologist yesterday. During the visit, I asked about flu shots. He, unfortunately, didn't have any. He doubted he was going to be getting any, either. He thinks they've been diverted to Florida, to the hurricane shelters.

Now, I'm the last person to start whining about the government doing something, and not just letting things work, but my God!!!

The grocery store has flu shots (which they'll only give to those over 18) but a pulmonologist can't get them?!

Something is definately out of whack there.

So anyways, I called the pediatrician. They do have flu shots, and actually are offering them for all three children.

So, it all worked out in the end.

All Souls Day

2005-11-02T18:57:00.000-05:00

Remember to remember all of our departed family and friends today and throughout the month of November.

A Tale of Two Masses

2005-11-02T14:36:00.000-05:00

I went to Church twice yesterday for All Saints. I went to the noon and the 7 pm masses. It was an illuminating expierience. I've come to the conclusion that all faults I find with Mass come from the music department.

The noon mass was very reverant, and had no choir. So we used the antiphon instead of a hymn. and before the antiphon, father led us in three Hail Mary's. The Hail Mary's were preceded by (and I'm just going on rough memory with the first 2)

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.
"The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
And the Word became flesh

We recited the Gloria and the Lamb of God as it is in the Sacramentary. The homily was terrific. Church Militant, Church Triumphant, Church Suffering. There are many Saints the Church doesn't know about. Many may be related to us.

Then there was the 7pm mass. The choir was there. The opening hymn was For All the Saints, that is a given. I don't remember the Offertory or Communion hymns. The Gloria was sung and altered so the language was inclusive "Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God's people on Earth" . God forbid we say "peace to his people on Earth". We can't slap a male pronoun on God! God forbid!

As with all masses celebrated with this priest, we offered the Prayer of the Faithful through the intercession of Mary, and wrapped them up with a Hail Mary. His Homily was also very good. Told some anecdotes of different Saints. Philip Neri shaved half his head. Moved on to our own journey to sainthood. Our salvation must be worked out with fear and trembling.

Then on to the closing hymn. If she wanted to choose a hymn based on the day's Gospel reading, a better choice would have been Blest Are They. And I can't believe I'm reccommending a song by David Haas.

No. We got We Are the Light of the Lord. Gee, I thought Jesus was the light of the world. Yeah. I guess a case could be made for Christians spreading the light of the gospel, a little beacon of God's light in a depraved world or whatever. But the song, like so many, is a bit too self-aggrandizing for me. I just hear too many "Yea, us" songs at Church.

So, any wasy, I was struck by what a difference a choir can make.

Solemnity of All Saints

2005-11-01T18:42:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!!!!

2005-10-31T18:29:00.000-05:00

Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, apostles

2005-10-28T18:28:00.000-04:00

Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist

2005-10-19T23:21:00.000-04:00

Where's Papa?

2005-10-19T11:28:00.000-04:00

I just don't see it. Supposedly burned into this pancake is an image of John Paul the Great. Usually, I'm pretty good at making out the alleged image, but not this time. Any help? (ie the nose is this, and that thing extending is the blah...) Oh well. Thanks to JimmyAkin.org for the image.

Ohio Politics

2005-10-19T10:12:00.000-04:00

My brother has decided to endorse my Congressman in the Democratic Senate race. Why? Paul Hackett seems more interesting to me. Veteran. Almost whomped a Republican in a heavily Republican district. It's true that ole' Sherrod has held Statewide office before. He had been our Secretary of State, until he was defeated in '90 by our now Governor, the illustrious Bob Taft .* The campaign against him was based on his foreign travwls at taxpayer expense. (Say Sayonarra! to Sherrod Brown!) Sherrod was then elected in '92 to his seat in a Congessional Deistrict designed especially for him. His opponent was the totally lackluster Margaret Mueller. (My father murderd my mother, but Margaret Mualler was ther to give me a big hug!!) Now he's dug his roots in and he ain't goin' nowhere. He's like some killer dandelion or something.

Now I'll probably end up voting for DeWine. Seems like a nice enough fellow. But if he were up against Hackett, I'd really have to think about it. But hey, if Brownie is running for Senate, that means he'll surrender his House, so I'll be free!!! Unless he beats, DeWine, that is.

Another thing wrong with Brown, and I know this is totally terrible for me to say--his wife.

*You know, I knew back in '02 that Taft was driving the state into the ground. But, oh how I was ridiculed for voting for Hagan. He campaigned on how healthy the state was, then, as soon as the election was over, announcec that, yup, Ohio is in the toilet. I'm still ridiculed for voting for Hagan. Oh well.

And Now For Tonight

2005-10-17T12:43:00.000-04:00

Once again Arrested Development is preempted due to baseball. I guess I could Surface a try. Or I could revert to 7th Heaven. Wife Swap is always worth a laugh. I just don't know.

At 9:00, no Prison Break because of baseball. I could watch Las Vegas or Ralated. Maybe I'll turn the TV off and read or clean or something. I was out last week and came home to find my husband watching Las Vegas. I caught the end, which was the Pussycat Dolls performing thier big hit. My husband had never heard it before, I told him I hear it on theradio all the time. It was #5 this week Ryan Seacrest.

10:00 Well there's CSI:Miami. It's good for snark value. Hell, I may just go to bed at 9:00 tonight.

Susan What Did You Do???

2005-10-17T12:36:00.000-04:00

Susan was always supposed to be the nic character on Desperate Housewives. Now she goes and gives Zach money to go to Utah so that Mike can never find him? And Mike is the love of her life? I guess she wats to have Mike but not be annoyed by his son. But she knows how much pain he's in. She should have reunited them and bowed out of the relationship. Mike will find out eventually. Then she'll be sorry. The highlight of Sunday night television. Except for the 7 repeat of Veronica Mars. I went to bed right after DH, as I have no interest in Crossing Jordan or Gray's Anatomy.

And Another One Bites the Dust

2005-10-14T15:00:00.000-04:00

After just two episodes, Inconceivable had been cancelled. Another show which I haven't watched. I can't say that I'm sorry it's gone.

Sure, some method's of "assissted reproduction" are moral, such as surgery to remove scar tissue, or medication to correct a hormone imbalance. But in vitro, sperm donors, surrogates, et al reduce a child to a commodity, something that you're entitled to, and should be able to attain at any cost.

A child is a person, a gift, and has a right to be created "normally". Not with sperm from some guy, or an egg from college girl, or nurtured in a rent a womb.

This is not to denigrate adoption or anything. And wouldn't it be better to give a child a home than spend so many $$$ trying to work around nature?

Johnson, O'Donnell First Victims of Fall

2005-10-14T14:13:00.000-04:00

The first cancellations of the 05-06 season are coming in. The victims so far are Just Legal with Don Johnson and Head Cases with Chris O'Donnell.

I regret to say that I never viewed either of the shows.

In related news, E-Ring is now airing an hour earlier on Wednesdays, at 8p ET.

Porn Sunday

2005-10-08T14:07:00.000-04:00

As many of you may know, today is Porn Sunday. In honor of this occaison, I have decided to start a charity, Porn for the Poor.

Please send, care of myself, your used, quality magazines, DVD's and VHS tapes.

We will then distribute these items to those who cannot afford their own porn. With your help, no one in this country will have to go without porn.

Thanks and God Bless.

Well, Let's Hope Against the Baby Blues

2005-10-07T22:41:00.000-04:00

It appears that reknowned Scientologist Tom Cruise and starlet Katie Holmes are going to have a baby.

This should be interesting. How devoted is Katie in following Tom into Scientology. Will Tom demand the child be a Scientologist. Katie's parents are Loyal Papist and I'm sure they will want their grandchild properly baptized.

Will Katie bow to Tom's strong personality? Will she hang on to her Catholic upbringing? The world awaits the answers.

On a sidenote, Nicole Kidman cooperated with the Scientology thing, but once Cruise dumped her, one of the first things she did was take the children to Easter Mass. Or Pasquale as they say in Italy. Or Pascha in Greek.

Movies, movies, movies

2005-10-07T22:27:00.000-04:00

Went for my Remicade infusion this afternoon. Watched a somewhat interesting movie to pass the time. It had Luke Wilson, Denise Richards, and Ben Affleck. It might have been called The Third Wheel. I seem to remember something about the number 3 in the title. Anyway, I'm too lazy to look it up at IMDB.

Luke and Denise are out on a date, and he runs over a homeless man, who tags along with them for the rest of the date. Theatre, sushi bar, everything.

It's not the best movie in the world, but it's entertaining enough, and passes the two hours of IV quite sufficiently.

I don't think I'll ever try Glitter. I may watch Punch Drunk Love again

The Lunatic is Back

2005-10-07T17:01:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed, I haven't been making many posts of a right wing nature. With this, I intend to change that.

You may be aware of a company that produces a popular line of books and expensive dolls, known as American Girl. They have a new program out called "I Can". For Every dollar wristband you buy, American Girl will donate 70 cents to Girls, Inc, in addition to $50,000.

This is what your money will buy you:
Girls Incorporated affirms that girls and young women should make responsible decisions about sexuality, pregnancy and parenthood.

We recognize the right of all women to choose whether, when, and under what circumstances to bear children. Reproductive freedom and responsibility are essential to other rights and opportunities, including pursuit of education, employment, financial security and a stable and fulfilling family life. Restrictions of reproductive choice are especially burdensome for young women and poor women. Girls Incorporated supports a woman's freedom of choice, a constitutional right established by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 in Roe vs. Wade.

And what type of girl is served by Girls Inc:
http://www.girlsinc-alameda.org/about/faqs.htm

Girls range evenly between the ages of 6 and 18 across all of our programs
More than 85% are girls of color
About 65% live with a single parent
Almost 70% come from a family with an annual income of less than $30,000

Right in the image of Margaret Sanger!

One of my colleagues phoned the Girls Inc headquarters. Here is the gist of her conversation:

I asked what they include in the discussion about about birth control or abortion. They said they give facts about it as an option.

I asked whether all the facts are presented... about possible emotional distress resulting from a regretted abortion, health problems resulting from abortion, development of the baby, the baby's ability to feel pain... that some babys are born alive and allowed to die alone to be thrown in trash cans, That women who have abortions have an increased risk of miscarriage later on, or inability to have children? Are they presented with alternatives to abortion such as adoption, aid from local services etc.?

"No mam, only the facts are presented. We don't talk about all those negative things, we are trying to give girls information to help them make good decisions for their future."

So you don't discuss the health problems that can result from hormonal birth control and abortion "no mam."

And you don't discuss the development of a baby and his or her ability to feel pain during an abortion (she was a little more annoyed here, but, to her credit, still very polite) "No, mam, we agree with the Supreme Court's decision regarding RoeV. Wade for a woman's productive rights."

So you don't give a young woman alternatives to help her decide to keep her baby if she wants to. "No mam, again we are trying to help girls have a better future here, that is our goal."

Sounds like they've already decided which "choice" these girls are going to make, so there really isn't much "choice" there, is there?

Well American Girl has aligned themselves with the culture of death. And until they choose to end this alliance, I choose not to patronize American Girl.

FYI, you may have heard about this in Ashli Tofler's blog. It was I who tipped off Ashli.

Harriet Miers

2005-10-07T16:23:00.000-04:00

I might as well weigh in on this as everyone else seems to. It seems ole "W" may be thinkin' I'll give Roberts to the Catholics and this woman to the evangelicals. Okelie-Dokelie. But does the evangelical have to be a former Catholic? Who became an evangelical to find Jesus? As if you can't find Jesus by being a Catholic? Sorts insulting. And makes me question this person, what's her problem.

Actually, she's done Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, there may be some Methodist thrown in there, not sure. Now she's an Evangelical. Actually, she's part of a group of 200, that's dumped their old congregation to start their own. Pissed at their pastor I guess. She currently worships in a hotel banquet room.

Seems kinda flaky to be on the High Court. I don't truck much with demomination hoppers.

But then again, between John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, and Antonin Scalia, she may be led back home yet. I wouldn't count too much on Kennedy, though.

Our Lady of the Rosary

2005-10-07T10:54:00.000-04:00

Lepanto

G.K.Chesterton

White founts falling in the Courts of the sun,
And the Soldan of Byzantium is smiling as they run;
There is laughter like the fountains in that face of all men feared,
It stirs the forest darkness, the darkness of his beard;
It curls the blood-red crescent, the crescent of his lips;
For the inmost sea of all the earth is shaken with his ships.
They have dared the white republics up the capes of Italy,
They have dashed the Adriatic round the Lion of the Sea,
And the Pope has cast his arms abroad for agony and loss,
And called the kings of Christendom for swords about the Cross.
The cold queen of England is looking in the glass;
The shadow of the Valois is yawning at the Mass;
From evening isles fantastical rings faint the Spanish gun,
And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sun.

Dim drums throbbing, in the hills half heard,
Where only on a nameless throne a crownless prince has stirred,
Where, risen from a doubtful seat and half attainted stall,
The last knight of Europe takes weapons from the wall,
The last and lingering troubadour to whom the bird has sung,
That once went singing southward when all the world was young.
In that enormous silence, tiny and unafraid,
Comes up along a winding road the noise of the Crusade.
Strong gongs groaning as the guns boom far,
Don John of Austria is going to the war,
Stiff flags straining in the night-blasts cold
In the gloom black-purple, in the glint old-gold,
Torchlight crimson on the copper kettle-drums,
Then the tuckets, then the trumpets, then the cannon, and he comes.
Don John laughing in the brave beard curled,
Spurning of his stirrups like the thrones of all the world,
Holding his head up for a flag of all the free.
Love-light of Spain--hurrah!
Death-light of Africa!
Don John of Austria
Is riding to the sea.

Mahound is in his paradise above the evening star,
(Don John of Austria is going to the war.)
He moves a mighty turban on the timeless houri's knees,
His turban that is woven of the sunsets and the seas.
He shakes the peacock gardens as he rises from his ease,
And he strides among the tree-tops and is taller than the trees;
And his voice through all the garden is a thunder sent to bring
Black Azrael and Ariel and Ammon on the wing.
Giants and the Genii,
Multiplex of wing and eye,
Whose strong obedience broke the sky
When Solomon was king.

They rush in red and purple from the red clouds of the morn,
From the temples where the yellow gods shut up their eyes in scorn;
They rise in green robes roaring from the green hells of the sea
Where fallen skies and evil hues and eyeless creatures be,
On them the sea-valves cluster and the grey sea-forests curl,
Splashed with a splendid sickness, the sickness of the pearl;
They swell in sapphire smoke out of the blue cracks of the ground,--
They gather and they wonder and give worship to Mahound.
And he saith, "Break up the mountains where the hermit-folk can hide,
And sift the red and silver sands lest bone of saint abide,
And chase the Giaours flying night and day, not giving rest,
For that which was our trouble comes again out of the west.
We have set the seal of Solomon on all things under sun,
Of knowledge and of sorrow and endurance of things done.
But a noise is in the mountains, in the mountains, and I know
The voice that shook our palaces--four hundred years ago:
It is he that saith not 'Kismet'; it is he that knows not Fate;
It is Richard, it is Raymond, it is Godfrey at the gate!
It is he whose loss is laughter when he counts the wager worth,
Put down your feet upon him, that our peace be on the earth."
For he heard drums groaning and he heard guns jar,
(Don John of Austria is going to the war.)
Sudden and still--hurrah!
Bolt from Iberia!
Don John of Austria
Is gone by Alcalar.

St. Michaels on his Mountain in the sea-roads of the north
(Don John of Austria is girt and going forth.)
Where the grey seas glitter and the sharp tides shift
And the sea-folk labour and the red sails lift.
He shakes his lance of iron and he claps his wings of stone;
The noise is gone through Normandy; the noise is gone alone;
The North is full of tangled things and texts and aching eyes,
And dead is all the innocence of anger and surprise,
And Christian killeth Christian in a narrow dusty room,
And Christian dreadeth Christ that hath a newer face of doom,
And Christian hateth Mary that God kissed in Galilee,--
But Don John of Austria is riding to the sea.
Don John calling through the blast and the eclipse
Crying with the trumpet, with the trumpet of his lips,
Trumpet that sayeth _ha_!
Domino gloria!
Don John of Austria
Is shouting to the ships.

King Philip's in his closet with the Fleece about his neck
(Don John of Austria is armed upon the deck.)
The walls are hung with velvet that is black and soft as sin,
And little dwarfs creep out of it and little dwarfs creep in.
He holds a crystal phial that has colours like the moon,
He touches, and it tingles, and he trembles very soon,
And his face is as a fungus of a leprous white and grey
Like plants in the high houses that are shuttered from the day,
And death is in the phial and the end of noble work,
But Don John of Austria has fired upon the Turk.
Don John's hunting, and his hounds have bayed--
Booms away past Italy the rumour of his raid.
Gun upon gun, ha! ha!
Gun upon gun, hurrah!
Don John of Austria
Has loosed the cannonade.

The Pope was in his chapel before day or battle broke,
(Don John of Austria is hidden in the smoke.)
The hidden room in man's house where God sits all the year,
The secret window whence the world looks small and very dear.
He sees as in a mirror on the monstrous twilight sea
The crescent of his cruel ships whose name is mystery;
They fling great shadows foe-wards, making Cross and Castle dark,
They veil the plume graved lions on the galleys of St. Mark;
And above the ships are palaces of brown, black-bearded chiefs,
And below the ships are prisons, where with multitudinous griefs,
Christian captives sick and sunless, all a labouring race repines
Like a race in sunken cities, like a nation in the mines.
They are lost like slaves that sweat, and in the skies of morning hung
The stair-ways of the tallest gods when tyranny was young.
They are countless, voiceless, hopeless as those fallen or fleeing on
Before the high Kings' horses in the granite of Babylon.
And many a one grows witless in his quiet room in hell
Where a yellow face looks inward through the lattice of his cell,
And he finds his God forgotten, and he seeks no more a sign--
(But Don John of Austria has burst the battle-line!)
Don John pounding from the slaughter-painted poop,
Purpling all the ocean like a bloody pirate's sloop,
Scarlet running over on the silvers and the golds,
Breaking of the hatches up and bursting of the holds,
Thronging of the thousands up that labour under sea
White for bliss and blind for sun and stunned for liberty.

Vivat Hispania!
Domino Gloria!
Don John of Austria
Has set his people free!

Cervantes on his galley sets the sword back in the sheath
(Don John of Austria rides homeward with a wreath.)
And he sees across a weary land a straggling road in Spain,
Up which a lean and foolish knight for ever rides in vain,
And he smiles, but not as Sultans smile, and settles back the blade....
(But Don John of Austria rides home from the Crusade.)

Seems Ripped From the Headlines....

2005-10-05T17:25:00.000-04:00

Close to Home was actually not that bad. Yet another Bruckheimer production. It revolves around an assistant DA just back from maternity leave. (Her husband is played by Christian Kane--you may remember him from Angel)

Her first case is a woman who set her house on fire with herself and her two children in it. Turns out the husband had kept them locked in the house for two years. Was this in the news recently? Is this a recycled plot from another show I've seen.

In the end, the little boy confesses to starting the fire, and the husband goes to jail for 20 years.

Nice, escapist fare.

Anywho...as for tonight..

8:00 Absolutley nothing to watch except for maybe One Tree Hill. Or possibly So You Think You Can Dance. Other candidates for an abysmal start to the evening's entertainment include:

The Apprentice: Marth Stewart I can't believe there's any interest in this
George Lopez Somewhat tolerable, if you're into sitcoms..season premiere, btw.
Still Standing/Yes Dear..these shows are still breathing?
America's Next Top Model.

9:00 This is a great timeslot. Something for everyone. I think this calls for synopses.

Veronica Mars--"Driver Ed"
Veronica helps grieving people determine whether one of their family committed suicide; Wallace offers to help the new transfer student figure out who damaged her car.
Lost--"Orientation"
Jack, Locke and Kate learn more secrets about the hatch; Michael, Sawyer and Jin wonder if their captors are fellow survivors or the dreaded others.
E-Ring--Escape and Evade"
McNulty puts JT in harm's way to deal with a Special Forces team that may be treading on Iranian soil illegally.
Nanny 911--"Spaulding Family" Episode #26.
Desperate parents get help creating strict guidelines for home-schooling their six children.
Criminal Minds (series premiere)--"Won't Get Fooled Again" Episode #103.
While investigating a serial bomber's attack on a small town, Gideon learns the perpetrator is a protege of his nemesis, Adrian Bale, the man who murdered his previous team of profilers.
Related(series premiere)--Moving Out, Moving In, Moving On" Episode #101.
The Sorelli sisters, already dealing with their own personal issues, learn that their father (Tom Irwin) is planning to marry his girlfriend, Renee (Christine Ebersole).

10:00 Well there are two and half choices, so I might as well synopsize:

Law and Order--"Ghosts"
When a criminal makes a startling deathbed confession, Detective Fontana reopens a 10-year-old case file concerning the murder of a 12-year-old girl.
Invasion--"Watershed"
When a mysterious, unknown force knocks Jesse unconscious, it is up to Russell to save his son.
CSI:NY--"Grand Murder at Central Station" Episode #202.
Mac and Hawkes discover that a murdered plastic surgeon had many patients suing him for millions of dollars.

St. Maria Faustina Kowalska

2005-10-05T16:42:00.000-04:00

Canonized in 2000, she's the first Saint of the new milennium.

The spiritual diary of this Polish mystic contains details of visions in which our Lord asked her to spread the message of his divine mercy.

Apparantly, Jesus also told her that he wanted the painting at the right done.

The Sunday after Easter is now known as Divine Mercy Sunday.

It's interesting (one might say ironic in the Alanis Morrissette sense of the word) that John Paul the Great instituted Divine Mercy Sunday (based on the Sr. Faustina writings) and then passed away on the eve of it.

What's On Tonight

2005-10-04T15:16:00.000-04:00

8:00 It looks like Gilmore Girls is the best thing on for this timeslot. Let's see what it's about:

"Always a Godmother, Never a God"
Sookie tries to reunite Lorelei and Rory by asking them to be godparents to her children, hoping they will make up at the ceremony, but they fight instead. well obviously Sookie belongs to some crazy protestant denomination....two godmothers?

Other options include:

The Biggest Loser....No
According to Jim/Rodney...No
Baseball...want to watch a show
NCIS...never really got into it
America's Next Top Model...Whatever

Okay just to be thorough...

Doc....On Pax. As Gob would say ComeON!
Contra Viento y Maria......Come ON!

9:00 Supernatural. House would be another option, but that's preempted by baseball.

You could also do, if you must:

My Name is Earl/The Office...I don't usually do sitcoms

Commander in Chief...It just doesn't interest me

The Amazing Race Family Edition...never found the concept exciting

Sex, Love, and Secrets...might be worth a try, but I already have Supernatural and House on my plate.

10:00 I normally watch L&O:SVU now, but this week it's the premiere of Close to Home. Yet another crime drama. Boston Legal is another alternative for this timeslot.

Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi

2005-10-04T12:54:00.000-04:00

Another Exciting Monday Evening

2005-10-04T10:38:00.000-04:00

Well, due to a parent meeting for my daughter's 2nd grade PSR, I missed Arrested Development (sniff, wipe tear.) Kitchen Confidential was somewhat amusing. John Larroquette played an old teacher of the Alias guy. The doctor's told him he would die unless he changed his eating habits, so he decided he wants to eat himself to death at Will Tippen's restaurant. Hijinx ensue.

There was yet another exiciting chapter in Prison Break that cute Scofield guy managed to rescue the prison nurse during the riot. Scofield's deathrow brother managed to save himself from a hit. Scofield's brother's lawyers realize how high up the frame up goes in DC.

The deathrow brother's wife is a bitch. She won't let her son watch TV about the riots at the prison where his father is because it makes her boyfriend uncomfortable. It's his goddamn father. Let your boyfriend suck it up a bit and stop being a prick. And if he hit my son like that, abeit because theboy was arguing with me, he'd be out of there.

Anyway, Prison Break is taking a 3 week break due to baseball. I wish these TV people would get a clue that not everyone's life revolves around sports. Some of us like some nice escapist scripted fare. And the other networks are going to counterprogramme with crap, on the assumption that everyone is going to watch the game, so they better not waste money by putting up something good. The world is run by morons.

I also watched CSI:Miami. Fell asleep, again. But not before my husband did a hilarious impersonation of David Caruso's acting style. Or lack thereof. It (the episode, not my husband or Caruso or his acting ability) appeared to be based on that Aruba girl.

A Frightening Encounter

2005-10-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, the family went to a local pizza place for dinner. I noticed that there was a cop car sitting in the parking lot. We went inside and sat down. One of the daughters threw a bit of a tantrum during the pizza selection process. She hates vegy pizza. She hates pepperoni. Since when has she hated pepperoni? Since forever. She wants mushroom. Well, the vegy has mushroom. So, I took her out of the restaurant, and sat her on a bench to collect herself. Passing the two cops having dinner with a family on the way out.

While I was out, my husband heard one the fine officers complaining that this was stressing him out. Huh! I'm sure a misbehaving child can add a touch of unpleasantness to one's dining expierience, but stressing you out!? Your a police officer. If a 9 year old behaving badly gets you all stressed out, how can you possibly handle the stresses of your job.

I'm afraid there may be an unjustified shooting in this guy's future.

Happy Thursday

2005-09-29T15:35:00.000-04:00

8:00 The season premiere of Alias vs. the season premiere of Smallville. I think I'll give another chance. I'm a glutton for punishment I guess. I'm sure the girls will be watching Smallville in their room.

Which reminds me once again of Veronica Mars. Trina was trying to sell her story, on the condition she play herself. The producers want Tara Reid. Logan wants to be partrayed by Tom Welling. EEwww. He's not that cute, and he's not on your network.

9:00 The premiere of NightStalker. If it sucks, I guess I'll give Reunion another try. Otherwise, it's CSI.

10:00 ER vs. Without a Trace

An infant's life hangs in the balance when a surrogate mother makes a dramatic decision after being injured in a car crash; Pratt is forced to deal with his feelings about the past after he encounters his estranged father (Danny Glover).---Sounds promising
During an ambush, a hail of gunfire mortally wounds Martin and kills the FBI detainee that he and Danny were transporting.--sounds exciting.

I think, this week, I will choose ER

The Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels

2005-09-29T15:19:00.000-04:00

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

St. Michael appears four times in the Bible. Twice in Daniel, once in Jude, and in Revelation.

The Protestants don't acknowedge Raphael, because the book where he appears isn't in their Bible. They sure are missing out on a charming little story. It's about a man who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and buried the dead. One day, while he was laying outside, a bird shit in his eyes and made him blind. Meanwhile, their was a girl who was plagued by the demon Asmodeus. She had been married seven times, and this demon killed all her husbands before the marriage could be consummated. You can find the exciting conclusion to this tale here.

St. Gabriel appears in the Bible three times as a messenger. He appeared to Daniel. He appeared to Zachary to tell him of his son, St. John the Baptist, and he appeared at the Annunciation.

Was Jack Locked in the Closet?

2005-09-29T15:14:00.000-04:00

Watched John Roberts being sworn in. His children were supposedly there. I didn't see them. I guess they didn't want any more scene stealing. I personally was interested in his son Jack's shoes. I was wondering if was wearing those butt-ugly saddle shoes again, or if Jane grew some fashion sense after being excoriated in the Washington Post Style section.

Yeah, that's me. But how were the kids dressed? Jane needs to find a more flattering lipstick tone, at least when she's wearing red.

Smarter Than Me

2005-09-29T14:45:00.000-04:00

The season premiere of Veronica Mars was last night. Something seemed a bit off. Maybe it's merely that I realized that Jason Doering isn't as pretty as he had seemed.

Kristen Bell still had the great chemisty with Enriquo Colatano. They still had the same smart assed dialogue (I'm sure you'll like them).

Meg's pissed at Veronica, because she's with Duncan again (now that they're not siblings) leaving Meg out in the cold. Meg nastily allowed the field trip bus to leave Veronica behind 9she was talking to Weevil). Weevil, took off on his bike, abandoning her, when he turned back. AWWW, that's my Weevil.

Speaking of Weevil, what's with the "Francis Capra", not good enough to be called Frank?

Veronica and Weevil then come to the scene of the school bus gone over a cliff into the ocean. Looks like Meg's dead. Her bitchiness saved Veronica. Looks like Dick and Beaver are dead, too.

Meanwhile, Logan and Mrs. Casablancas are having some "afternoon delight." "Can Beaver and Dick come out and play?" Gack!!!

The mystery of the week was sorta lame. Wallace, Meg, and several other people were suspended from respective activities because of a failed drug test. Turns out, a dummy corporation owned by the parent's of the second stringers arranged to falsify the tests.

I enjoyed the epi, it went by quickly, by it seemed to be missing something.

Supernatural

2005-09-28T17:00:00.000-04:00

Last night, I watched my third episode of Supernatural. Plot summary: There were a lot of "accidental" drownings. As it turns out, all of the victims were related to two people. Further investigation turned up the fact that these two men had drowned a child many years ago, when they were children. It's this boy's spirit seeking revenge. Sounds awful lot like Bag of Bones.

New From the Lunatic Fringe

2005-09-27T15:30:00.000-04:00

Speaks for itself, dunnit? There's some website where they'll sell you a sheet of these, but I'd rather not give them the traffic. I'm sure you can find it i you're that interested.

CLOW

2005-09-27T15:26:00.000-04:00

Apparently, my first sojourn as catechist for Children's Liturgy of the Word, didn't go as badly as I thought. The Director of Religious Eductaion called me this morning. I get to lead another group on the ninth, and this time I'll be by myself, not under the DRE's wtchful gaze. Wish me well. I'm rather excited. I should probably look at the readings, to plan what I'll discuss with the kids.

The TV Topic

2005-09-27T15:16:00.000-04:00

I listened to Arrested Development last night. I was cooking dinner while my husband picked up the girls from PSR. It would have been much better with the visuals.

Speaking of PSR, the younger daughter came home with a list of prayers she is expected to know. She already knows all but one. The older daughter knew the answers to all of the questions but one, because her mother is "crazy Catholic." She also got her TV back last night.

I also watched Prison Break last night. One of the best new shows of the season, in my opinion. But we all know stuctural engineer/non-death-row brother is going rescue prison doctor before anything bad happens to her. Fell asleep during CSI:Miami.

As for tonight, I am torn between Supernatural and House. I think I'm going to watch Supernatural because it's new and more likely to be cancelled. I'll catch House during reruns and preemptions.

My New Phone

2005-09-27T15:08:00.000-04:00

Still picks up fundamentalist radio. Ergo, it's the phone line. With my luck, it's the inside wiring.

A Random Thought From My Daughter

2005-09-27T14:58:00.000-04:00

"People set fires to hide evidence. But the fire draws attention, and they find the body."

Typos

2005-09-24T21:32:00.000-04:00

Reading thhrough my posts, I've found an appalling amount of typos, spelling errors, and homophone mistakes. I have fixed them. Let me know if I have missed any.

The Rest of the Night

2005-09-23T22:49:00.000-04:00

So after dance class, we decide to go out to eat. We decide to try this Mexican place we'd never heard of but had a coupon for. It's called Qdoba. Turns, out to be a total rip-off of Chipotle's. Right down to to the unfinished ceiling painted black. The dining room layout. The counter layout. You would have thought you were in a Chipotle's except the sign says Qdoba. Except, I think I like it better then Chipotle's. If you ever stop in, I recommend the Chicken Mole burrito.

Anyway, after we completed our little adventure, it was 9:30. I decided to give Killer Instinct a try. Didn't really get to watch enough to judge. Appeared interesting. The bad guy put a tarantula on the hostages face. Then the bad guy enede up with one on his face. I may have to watch a whole episode.

10:00 Numbers is okay. I can take it or leave it. I have no interest in Inconceivable, so I'm spending the hour with you. Aren't you special.

Adventures at Target

2005-09-23T22:23:00.000-04:00

The alarm never went off this morning. Luckily, my husband instinctively woke up. He fiddled it and then it sounded. In a way. It was a low, dull, buzzing. Wouldn't wake anyone up.

I think I might have accidently spilled some cherry Juicy Juice on it yesterday, and that may have caused it, but let's keep that between us.

My oldest has a Jazz class on Fridays from 6:15 to 7:15. So we dropped her off and headed to the local Target to replace the clock. We picked up a few other items we needed: Lil Swimmers (the boy has a class 8:15 tomorrow morning, and I'm out), dishwasher detergent, Neutrogena T-gel, Capri-Suns. We also got a halloween costume for the boy. He originally chose duck, but then changed his mind to Spiderman. We go to check out, start unloading the cart, and then I remember that we forgot the alarm clock.

So I put everything back in the cart, and go after the clock. Being unsure where the alarm clock section is, I ask the nearest Target employee. She sends me to housewares, saying "by the pots and pans and dishes, at least, that's where I'd look."

There are no alarm clocks there.

So I ask another employee. He has no clue, so he he goes to a nearby knot of three employees, who also have no clue. This makes five Targeteers who have no idea where to find an alarm clock. But---one of them had a walkie-talkie, and places an inquiry over said device. I'm told "back wall of store, electronics department."

So, off I go. Unfortunately, they have a lot of models, by not many of them have actual boxes on the shelf. So, I settle for one that I like, and is in stock, and doesn't cost upwards of $20.

Near the clocks are the phones. We remember that we need a new phone. Ours picks up fundamentalist Christian radio (no, it's not cordless). Sometimes, the raving is so loud, it drowns out the person I'm trying to talk too. Which isn't always a bad thing.

While we were examining phones, middle child needs to pee. So, husband takes her to the bathroom at the front of the store. While they are gone, I select a phone. As I'm heading back up front, I pass the lamp section. I decide to get the girls a much needed new floor lamp for their room (long story). So I find a really cute one and it's only $13.

I turn around to put the lamp box into my cart and what do I see? An end cap full of alarm clocks. And these are a lot more reasonably priced. So I pick up one for $7.99 and put the other back. I make it up front just in time to grab the rest of the family coming out of the bathroom.

So we check out, pay, and are proceeding out the door when we trip the alarm.

At least, in the end, we made it back to the dance studio in time.

Criminal Minds

2005-09-23T22:16:00.000-04:00

The show was okay. It just felt they were trying to hard for snappy dialogue a la West Wing or the snark of House. It's just not snarky if it's forced. I'll probably give it another try. If there's nothing better on.

The Post You All Have Been Waiting For

2005-09-22T19:13:00.000-04:00

What I am going to watch on TV tonight.

8:00 nothing really interests me, so I guess that means the girls will be watching Smallville.

9:30 choices are:

2nd half of Reunion
2nd half of CSI

I think I'll go with CSI, even though Reunion has Will Estes. This will also be the timeslot for Nightstalker, which premieres, I believe, next week.

10:00 I think that I shall try Criminal Minds. Next week, Without a Trace will be returning to this timeslot, and Criminal Minds will be in the super tough Wednesday at 9:00 timeslot. It stars the former Chicago Hopers Mandy Pantinkin and Thomas Gibson. Oh yeah, the season premiere of ER is also tonight. It's something to fall back on at 10 on Thursdays.

More on Restaurants That Suck

2005-09-22T18:48:00.000-04:00

I will never eat at a certain Wendy's again. Because they are too fucking incompetent to exist.

It was Saturday, July 23, 2005, and we decided to grab some quick Wendy's. The counter lady went through my order, like five times, and still didn't get it right. No I wanted a Caeser Salad instead of fries. No I didn't get that. You forgot the baked potato. I finally gave up in frustration and just wanted to pay.

This is where I made my mistake. My church sells gift certificates to supplement their collections. They buy them at a discount and sell them for face value. So I had bought some for Wendy's. My total was more than the gift certificates I had. So I was going to charge the balance. My mistake was having both tenders in my hand.

The dumb shit counter girl told me that I couldn't use both, and would have to put the whole thing on my credit card. I told her that I believed that I could. She told me, get this, that gift certificates and credit cards are not affiliated with each other. What the fuck. So I left. Leaving $25 dollars worth of food on the counter, which would probably have to be thrown away, since Wendy's makes it when you order it. I heard her tell another employee on the way out that "they're not a grocery store."

So, I drove about ten minutes up the road to another Wendy's, because by that point I was anticipating a Spicy Chicken Snadwich and I didn't want to settle for something else.

This time I kept my Visa in my pocket. This counter girl took my order no problem. The total was $3 less than at the other store. I gave her my $10 in Gift Certificates. She rang them through and told me my balance. I presented her with the Visa. She swiped it for the amount due. We then enjoyed a nice, peacful dinner.

The End

Subway Sucks

2005-09-22T18:31:00.000-04:00

My daughter decided that she wanted to be in the Church choir. Fine. So I had to take her to practice this afternoon. Also fine. So I had to sit there for an hour listening to them sing How Great Is Our God. There are worse Comtemporary Christian songs, such as Trading My Sorrows, which, by the way, our music director has added to the music supplement. So that, too, was fine.

So, on the way home, we decided to stop and grab some supper. The kids wanted Subway. Fine. Middle daughter got something normal. I got something normal. First born needed to customize. She got monterey bread with ham and bacon and provolone. Added cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, two tomatoes, salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. Fine. I wanted a deli round for the boy. One with salami. Not fine. I know that's not on the menu, but I thought Subway was the place that customized. Nope. Apparently, it's too fucking difficult for them to stick a slice of salami on a deli roll. So I got him a deli round with turkey, instead. Next time, I'm going to Quizno's. Unless I have a car, then I'll go to some independent shop for my sub. Wait. A pizza shop just opened next to the Subway. I bet they make sandwiches. I had actually suggested we go there. But no. "We don't want pizza, we want Subway."

Ruined what would have otherwise been a perfectly mediocre day.

Count on St. Joseph

2005-09-22T13:07:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, at my church, a lit a candle for a particular petition. It appears to have been granted. Thank you Saint Joseph, and of course, God.

How I Spent My Evening

2005-09-22T09:35:00.000-04:00

I got back at about 8:30 from a class I am taking with Fr. Gayer. The kid was still doing her homework, so no TV for me.

She finished just in the nick of time for Lost. Sent her to bed and turned on the TV. Hey, she's impossible to wake up in the morning. She probably would have just turned on her TV (we sort of have an understanding, if she can figure out what channel it's on, and tune it in, she can watch it, usually), but its hidden. That's what happens when you refuse to listen and then repeatedly scream (Stupid Monkey!!!) at your parent.

ABC's reception sucked. So who was that other dude on the hatch-thing? Shoud I tune in next week to find out? Or should I watch the season premiere of Veronica Mars. Damn those TV executives. Damn them all to hell!!!

Well since ABC's reception sucked, I gove up on Invasion and watched L&O. And fell asleep, while they were interviewing the sex offender whose bloody palm print was found at the scene where the body of the woman who was holding the missing girl was found.

The guy in the hatch, is he someone we should recognize? I never recognize people. Like on Angel, when they revealed the liason to the senior partners, in bed with Lindsay, I totally didn't recognize him, even though he had been really important in previous seasons.

So I bitched some more last night to my husband over wanting cable. He'll break, eventually.

Speaking of Bad Catholic Liturgical Music

2005-09-22T09:26:00.000-04:00

This is hilarious.

Why Some People Like the Old Mass

2005-09-22T09:10:00.001-04:00

Yes, some people are under the impresion that the Latin language is somehow sacred. It's a "holy tongue".

People think that the old mass is more reverent. God centered vs. people centered.

The priest is facing the tabernacle, leading the people in prayer, rather than performing for the crowd.
They think you don't find all the abuses that you find in the Novus Ordo:
Liturgical Dance
Crappy music. The greatest piece of western music ever composed was the mass setting by Beethoven, so why are we subjected to Owen Alstot.
Life-Teen
tongue speaking

Last night, I had an epiphany about these people. The pope is not CEO and the bishop a district manager. The bishop runs his diocese. Their are certain constraints in Canon Law and the GIRM, so he doesn't have total freedom, but he has alot. The pope cannot come to, say, Cleveland, without being invited by Bishop Pilla. Until 1908, the United States was mission territory. The bishops in the US didn't have as much freedom. They took marching orders from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. So even, though it's been almost 100 years, certain people haven't adjusted to the fact that the bishops are independent. That every bishop doesn't have to run his own diocese like the Bishop of Rome runs his.

The First Day of Fall

2005-09-22T09:10:00.000-04:00

The Hunt for Queer Priests

2005-09-21T16:01:00.000-04:00

I just got this week's Newsweek (also This Rock--bit that's neither here nor there). Anyway, there's a small article revealing how the Vatican is sending inspectors into the seminaries to root out gay seminarians.

I know that the justification for this is the sex abuse scandal. The reasoning is that 81% of the abusing priests were homosexual. Or is it that 81% of the victims were male? Whatever.

The point is, is not a PEDOPHILIA problem, it's a HOMOSEXUAL problem.

I don't know. There's two priests at my parish. I call them "gay" and "gayer". I love "gayer". He's a great priest. Tries to stick to the GIRM. Realizes he's not there to push his own agenda, but to teach what the Church teaches. He's a catechetics maniac. He knows his apolegetics. Is well versed in the Early Church Father's. Is familiar with the Liturgies of many of the 22 other autonomous Churches which comprise the Catholic Church.

And he knows my son by name, by sight.

All in all, a very cool priest.

So I think these inspections are rather misguided.

Of Hats and Doilies, Mantillas, too

2005-09-21T15:32:00.000-04:00

The people at Catholic Answers Forums have decided to declare Oct. 2 wear a veil to mass day. To be honest, I really don't get it.

Some claim to feel the presence of God more when veiled.

I think they just get this image in thier head of women kneeling at the alter rail, receiving communion on the tongue, with their little chapel cap or mantilla on their head.

And they think that image of Catholicism is more holy than as commonly practiced in modern times.

The thing is, these are all women in thier 20's and 30's. 40's at the most. It's a romanticization. They weren't around back then, or to young to remember.

They don't like the strange looks they get from peopl, including, sometimes the priest, when they show up for church like something from the 1920's.

So they're all going to do it together on 10/2.

More on the Tridentine Mass

2005-09-21T11:34:00.000-04:00

I just received Karl Keating's E-Letter. The "old mass" was his major (only) talking point this week.

An excerpt:

"Talk about a lack of "demand" for the old Mass will remain fatuous until a fair test is given.

Thirty years ago, if you had asked around, you would have found almost no American who had an interest in the cappuccinos and espressos so widely found today at coffee houses. But once they had a chance to sample these exotic offerings from Europe, many Americans liked them--a lot.

Likewise, perhaps, with the old Mass, but we won't know until American Catholics have been given a real chance to compare the Tridentine Mass with the one now celebrated in their parishes.

My guess is that there will be much more of a "demand" than Church bureaucrats expect. Nowadays about 20 million American Catholics attend Mass each Sunday, but not more than one percent of them attend the old Mass. What might that percentage be if the old Mass truly were widely available? I suspect it would be well into the double digits."

I have mixed feelings on thw whole issue.

Hurricane Rita

2005-09-21T10:30:00.000-04:00

Is now Cat-4 and headed for the Houston/Galveston area. It may also touch New Orleans. At least this time they have arranged busses to evacuate people for Galveston.

At one time, Galveston was thought to be hurricane proof. They didn't think there was any way a hurricane could get in there. Until a hurricane struck, about 100 years ago. It had been the deadliest natural disaster in US history. I don't know yet if it has been surpassed by Katrina.

Up until that point, Galveston was growing rapidly. It was an up and coming "it" city. After the hurricane, that honor went to Houston. It became the major port where all the businesses located. Galveston was more or less abandoned, becoming only good for vacationing.

Tonight's Line-Up

2005-09-21T10:05:00.000-04:00

8:00 So You Think You Can Dance (I guess)

9:00 This is the toughest block of the new fall season we have:

Lost
E-Ring
Head Cases (with Chris O'Donnell)
CSI (tonight is a repeat)--this will normally be Criminal Minds
Just Legal--It's normal slot will be 9 Mon. The normal 9Wed WB will be Related.
Although not airing this week, this is also the timeslot for Veronica Mars.

I cant wait to see the overnights. I'm most likely watching Lost, but when it goes up against Veronica Mars, I'm going to have to make some painful choices. TIVO, I need TIVO dammit. I want I DVR NOW!!! I do have I VCR, I suppose I could go buy a blank tape, but I don't have cable, so I'll have to set the rabbit ears just right so that I can get UPN and ABC tuned it simultaneously. Cable! I want Cable!

well, anyway...

10:00 L&O vs. Invasion. Law & Order, you will always have with you. I'm going to give Invasion a try.

Television Report

2005-09-21T09:31:00.000-04:00

I missed about half of Bones due to my daughter's tap class. I did enjoy what I was able to see. We flipped back and forth between House and Big Brother. Maggie did win by one vote. The hub voted for L&O:SVU over Wife Swap. I let him have his way on that one.

The Feast of St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist

2005-09-21T09:28:00.000-04:00

Jesse Tree

2005-09-20T15:35:00.000-04:00

I'd like to do a Jesse Tree with the kids this year. It's an Advent project in which you hang ornaments which symbolize Jesus' geneology.

I wish I could find a set of Jesse tree ornaments.

There are books that give one ideas for making her own ornaments, but I'm just not good at crafts.

There's a book which has cut out paper ornaments but that just seems cheap and flimsy looking.

I'm willing to compromise. How about about a set of wooden ornaments that I have to paint myself?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Tonight's Viewing

2005-09-20T14:29:00.000-04:00

8:00 Bones--yeah!! It's Angel!!!

9:00 Although I really like House, I think I'll watch Big Brother even though the final two are Maggie and Ivette. Totally uninteresting. I think I'm rooting for Maggie just to punish Ivette for being so stupid to choose her over Janelle.

10:00 Strange hour for Wife Swap. Should I watch that or should I watch the premiere of Law and Order: SVU? Still deciding.

Good Morning America

2005-09-20T13:40:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, I wonder if Charlie Gibson is a bit of a closeted conservative.

He gave John Kerry a pretty tough time when he was questioning him about his Vietnam medals, calling him on his contradictions.
When he was hosting the Town Hall debate, he chose to use the question about adult stem cells.
He grilled the mayor of New Orleans about his responsibilities re: the evacuation. He wasn't all blame Bush.

Hmmmm?

Television

2005-09-20T07:55:00.000-04:00

The season premiere of Arrested Development was last night. It didn't disappoint. Decided to stick on Fox for Kitchen Confidential as it came between AD and Prison Break. Cute show. Good to see Xander (aka Nicholas Brendon) working again. Also that reporter from Alias.

So, I chose two sitcoms over Surface. There's still Threshold and Invasion.

But, it's great that I now have two (Surface and AD/KC) alternatives to that insipid 7th Heaven.

Tridentine Mass

2005-09-19T14:19:00.000-04:00

Rumour has it that Bendict the XVI is going to issue a universal indult for the Tridentine Mass. (see it here .) A lot of people are very happy about this. They think (hope) this is a sign of an upcoming reconciliation with the SSPX. These people are also deluded enough to think that Archbishop Fellay will be elevated to Cardinal.

My personal opinion, is if the SSPX returns to the fold, Fellay should have to go live in a Carthusian monastery for penance. Why reward the disobediance? I got the idea from Seven Stroy Mountain. When Thomas Merton first visited Gesthemani, he met a priest who had come to be mixed up with a schismatic sect, was elevated to Archbishop, and then saw the error of his ways and returned to the Church. He was sentenced to the Trappist monastery as penance.

I say, if these people are so enamored of the old ways (Pre V-II), then let them be dealt with as they would have been in the old Pre V-II days.

Fundraising Blues

2005-09-19T14:00:00.000-04:00

Two of my kids' schools are doing their BIG fundraisers. The second grader is selling Sally Foster, the fourth grader is selling Kathryn Beich. Such nonsense. Mr. Smiley-man comes and presides over an assembly encouraging them to sell, sell, sell. The more you sell, the better prizes you get.

If the fourth grader sells 35 items, she gets to attend an ice cream party. We've plataeued at 25.

Of course, it's not the kids who do the selling, its the parents. We're encouraged to take these to work, and offer it to friends. As if their own kids aren't selling the same crap. And not all employers are fond of that sort of thing... but if you're the boss....

It's really a contest about whose more loaded and has a bigger social or family network.

Well, at least the fourth grader is finally getting a playground.