Love Thy Neighbor, Even if it is Rush Limbaugh

One of the signs of a mature soul is to be concerned about your enemies.

I don't like Rush Limbaugh. I don't like what he stands for, I don't like his ideas, his scruples or his attitude.

But I hope he recovers from his Oxycontin addiction, because he's a man, a human, an American, and all people deserve to improve their lives and put their past behind them.

If it causes them to make changes in their life - great. I hope he's able to be enough of a man to learn something from the addiction, the recovery, and the legal troubles.

If he doesn't, well that's his fault and his loss.

But caring for others because they're people and not just because you agree with their politics is one thing that makes us human.

To wish for his early death, or trouble in prison, or any of the other things I've heard advocated on other sites - that's unconscionable. And you should be ashamed.

We're trying to help the Iraqis build a new country, by showing them the best things about America and Americans. Why would you expect someone to emulate an American when the examples they see aren't ones of compassion, understanding and forgiveness but scorn, vengeance and hatred?

And if you profess to any Christian values, you'll realize your teacher never scorned, hated or wished revenge, but forgave.

Even if you don't profess to Christian values, those are pretty good lessons from a pretty good teacher.

Cubs Up 23 Games to 12

Just continuing to keep ya posted...

Um...Never Mind.

Full night of shut-eye opens door to memory

"A study found that sleep apparently restores memories that were lost during a hectic day.

It's not just a matter of sleep recharging the body physically. Researchers say sleep can rescue memories in a biological process of storing and consolidating them deep in the brain's complex circuitry."

I was going to say something really remarkably insightful and interesting about this, but I forgot what I was going to say.....

No Severance For You!

UT trustees rescind Shumaker's severance package

'The University of Tennessee trustees unanimously rescinded a severance package for former President John Shumaker on Friday after a state comptroller's investigation suggested Shumaker violated state law.

Sounds like a coach suspending or dismissing a player from the team who's just been charged with a crime. Not convicted, not even indicted - just charged. While the evidence may be overwhelming, as of now the investigation "suggests" that state law was broken.

'Gov. Phil Bredesen, who's also chairman of the trustees, recommended the board scuttle the severance deal that he helped negotiate.

"Given the fact that I don't believe he was truthful with us, I no longer feel any personal obligation to support the package," Bredesen told the board.'

You think he lied, therefore you're breaking your end of the deal. Why does this sound like Bredesen was planning for something like this all along, and only negotiated the wacky severance deal in the first place to buy time?

'"In misrepresenting his actions, Dr. Shumaker may have violated Tennessee statutes that require public officials to cooperate with auditors and that prohibit tampering with or fabricating official records," the report said.'

Again, "may have violated." Is there something wrong with the judicial system in Tennessee that they can't wait until the case is tried in court? Y'know, legally and stuff?

'The UT Foundation hasn't taken any action on the severance. Jim Haslam, the foundation chairman and a trustee, said all the foundation board members unanimously believed they were "under no legal obligation to pay anything and will not pay."'

Nice to know the board doesn't feel obligated to uphold their ends of deals. Isn't something like a severance package a binding contract - at least in the abstract?

Ok, Shumaker was a rat, and I respect Bredesen - I still believe both those things, but this whole severence package rescindment just smells of something that was hoped for and planned for way back when. Maybe they had real reason to believe Shumaker'd be accused of breaking the law and never believed they'd have to go through with the payment at all. Regardless, demonstrating that state agreements and contracts can be broken at a whim does not settle well. It's not fair, and it's not just. Not in the legal system that I respect.

Walking in Darkness, Looking for the Light

Here's a report on how badly the Reconstruction effort is going in Iraq

I dare someone to fisk this with any degree of authenticity and accuracy, based on multiple eyewitness accounts and not on hearsay.

L. Paul Bremer - Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator - Press Conference Opening Remarks

Sample excerpts:

Note: "6 months ago" does not necessarily mean after the war - in many cases it means before the war, i.e. when Iraw was still under Saddam's control

Six months ago there were no police on duty in Iraq.

• Today there are over 40,000 police on duty, nearly 7,000 here in Baghdad alone.
  
• Last night Coalition Forces and Iraqi police conducted 1,731 joint patrols.

Six months ago there were no functioning courts in Iraq.

• Today, for the first time in over a generation, the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.

Six months ago the entire country could generate a bare 300 megawatts of electricity.

• On Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518 megawatts—exceeding the pre-war average.

Six months ago nearly all of Iraq’s schools were closed.

• Today all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.

During the 1990’s Saddam cut spending on public health by over 90 percent with predictable results for the lives of his citizens.

• Today we have increased public health spending to over 26 times what it was under Saddam.
  
• Today all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.
  
• Pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700 tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
  
• Since liberation we have administered over 22 million vaccination doses to Iraq’s children.

Six months ago there was no freedom of expression. Satellite dishes were illegal. Foreign journalists came on 10-day visas and paid mandatory and extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for “minders” and other government spies.

• Today there is no Ministry of Information.
  
• Today there are more than 170 newspapers.
  
• Today foreign journalists and everyone else are free to come and go.

Six months ago Iraq had not one single element—legislative, judicial or executive-- of a representative government.

• Today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and professional organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.

We are also aware that the progress we have made is only a beginning. A quarter century of negligence, cronyism and war mongering have devastated this country. Such profound damage cannot be repaired overnight.

Could all these things be happening with active resistance from most Iraqi citizens? No. Could all these things be happening without at least the tacit support of most Iraqi citizens? Again, no.

Attacks are happening, yes. Terrorists and Ba'ath-controlled militants are still resisting, yes. But they do not, nor did they ever, represent the people of Iraq. For every serviceman killed, he or she has likely traded their life for dozens of civilians who would have been killed for actually thinking or acting incorrectly.

There's an old story - a soldier is in a raft with a civilian. There's only enough food in the raft for one person - is it the soldier's responsibility to give up his or her life to "save" the civilian, or does he or she take the chance on living in order that they might stay alive to "save" dozens or even hundreds down the road. What's the soldier's responsibility?

One answer is that it's their sworn job to protect the people they've been assigned to protect. That if they can't - or are not willing - to protect one, then they can't do that job for many. Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one? It's a goofy old sci-fi quote, but it's a relevant question. Do the needs of the one outweigh the possible needs of the many?

By staying to protect the people of Iraq, and show what kindness, justice and democracy are all about - even at the sacrifice of soldier's lives - we are showing them one possible answer to that question.

"For the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light..."

Hat tip to Simmins by way of Sofia Sideshow

Recall Redux

My one and only post regarding the California election. Ready for it? Here it is - don't blink or you'll miss it:

This time next year the gears will be in motion for an Arnold recall.

Bank on it - it will be going.

Hey, I'm 3 wins away from the Cubs prediction coming true! Wait'll you hear my prediction on the Volunteers season: 4-1 by 10/10. Mark it down - ooooh, he's good ;)

Thank you

Brainyboy does not have pneumonia. Just a funky viral infection....

Thank you!

Bad Ad! Bad Ad!

SayUncle has some advice for Knox County parents protesting a suggestive perfume ad appearing in Seventeen magazines currently available in local school libraries: Get over it.

Some Knox County folks with no sense of humor are upset about ads for French Connection United Kingdom:

A group of Tennessee parents are livid about a teen magazine ad for a company known for its provocative acronym, FCUK. Clothing store company French Connection United Kingdom ran an ad for one of its perfumes in Seventeen magazine, which is available at several Knox County public school libraries in Knoxville, Tenn.

Some parents were so outraged that they complained to school officials, prompting at least a dozen schools to review all their magazine subscriptions.

First of all, you're correct - pressuring schools to cancel subscriptions without process is not the right way to deal with it. Like boycotts, all this harms is innocent rank and file employees - in this case the employees of magazine publishing industries.

However, there's nothing wrong with parents being comfortable with what magazines their kids are exposed to in schools, and expecting the schools to be able to justify the decisions on what magazines they subscribe to. If they carry "Seventeen" and not, say, "National Geographic" or "Discover" then there's a disconnect somewhere....

Hate to break this to you guys, but kids are exposed to stuff at every turn (cable, billboards, the internet) so it is up to you parental types to deal with it.

Well, at least they are dealing with it - better than ignoring the problem altogether. If you intend "deal with it" to mean "get over it," then, no - not when children are concerned.

I understand most of you can't deal with that and have to blame magazines, libraries, and crappy perfume. Take care of your own mess.

They are trying to do something about a bad message being presented to their kids. If you understand the whole story of the ad, it's not just the acronym that's objectionable but the fact that there's a photo of an obviously teenage boy and girl in various stages of undress, sitting next to each other on a bed. The word FCUK is printed below them, with a caption explaining that the kids were "Scent to Bed."

Nice.

It's simply the wrong image to send to a teen - and the fact that they're confronted with these images from all sides, as you say, is exactly why a stand needs to be made. They are "dealing with it", and "taking care of their own mess".

Yes, the tactics need to be refined. But the will is there and the recognition of the bad message is there and that's a positive thing.

Example of what not to do:

Minnesota (St. Paul) Group Plans Boycott Over FCUK Brand

"A parents' group based in St. Paul is threatening a boycott of Target Corp. and its Marshall Field's stores unless the company stops carrying the controversial line of clothing and fragrances.

C'mon, people. It's not Target's fault, it's not Marshall Fields' fault. There's probably nothing wrong with the product itself - it's just perfume for goodness sake. This is not where to apply the pressure, and the only thing that might possibly succeed is that Target and Marshall Fields rank and file minimum-wage employees get their hours cut. Yeah, that's progress.

In another article, there's good and bad at the same time:

Kaufmann's pulls racy fragrance ads - 50 stores in four states respond as customers turn up noses at displays

The Good:

The department store chain also will stop mailing racy advertising circulars that feature the scent, but Kaufmann's stores will keep selling it, said Robin Reibel, a spokeswoman for the Boston-based retailer.

"We are sensitive to our customers' comments,'' Reibel said.

Kaufmann's said it received numerous calls complaining about the signs, displays and advertising inserts. The complaints intensified after Akron Beacon Journal business reporter Mary Ethridge discussed the fragrance in her Mad Shopper column Friday.

(...)

Karyn Halpern of Akron said she's thrilled the department-store chain has decided to stop advertising the perfume.

"I got the flier in the mail, and I thought, `Where are their brains?' '' she said from her Akron home.

"I think they have to be responsible for what they put on display and what they sent out to people's homes,'' Halpern added.

(...)

"If they want to sell it, that's fine. But those big signs aren't necessary,'' [father of 3 Brian] Keel said.

The Bad:

Eva Buhite of Wadsworth said just selling it is going too far.

The grandmother said she canceled a subscription to a teen magazine that runs FCUK ads. Next on her list is a boycott of Kaufmann's for selling the perfume.

"They really hurt themselves big time by doing this,'' she said. ``If my granddaughters go in there and I see it, I'd probably stand there and bust every bottle.''

Some people get it and some people don't.

Panic

My son lost another of his baby teeth last night. It's old dad's job to, ahem, you know...do the that silver- dollar thing that dads do. Except in our house it's Gold Sacajawea dollars. Anyway, BrainyBoy (v7.6) has lost about seven baby teeth so far, and once again it was my responsibility to, um, do that thing. He put the tooth in a Ziplock bag and put it under his pillow, and went fast asleep.

I stayed up to watch some of the Colts-Bucs game, then went to bed.

Notice what's left out of that sequence of events?

This morning, GiggleGirl wanders into our bedroom about 6:30, starts chatting with my wife. I roll over and lightning strikes me right between the eyes.

I FORGOT !!!!

I leap out of bed, struggle to extract myself from the covers - my wife's dumfounded at my antics and is worried something's really wrong - I say, "Tooth! tooth!" and make vague gestures toward BrainyBoy's room and downstairs where the coins are stored. Since GiggleGirl was in the room, I couldn't actually say anything, I just made odd noises and movements for a moment, and fled.

"He's already awake - his sister's been talking to him" I hear from my wife behind me...

I then hear movement from BrainyBoy's room - he's moving around, rattling the rails of his bunk bed.

Hurry!! Down the stairs, to the kitchen - open the cabinet, pull out a coin from the secret hiding place, rush back up the stairs....

*Creak* *Rattle*as he climbs down the bunk bed ladder. I walk nonchalantly toward his room, expecting any moment to hear a cry of dismay as he checks under his pillow...

Nothing so far - I am cautiously hopeful.

We pass in the hall. "Morning, Fred." "Morning, Ralph."

He ambles toward our bedroom. I nonchalantly continue toward his as if I do this every morning. Which I don't - I'm usually still catching a couple more z's.

Into his room, around the bed, grab the Ziplock bag - drop the coin in, fumble inside for the tooth - there it is! Replace bag - no time to Ziplock it back up! Walk calmly out of the room back down the hall. I have the tooth in my hand - no pockets in a pair of boxers - and peacefully set it up on the top of my computer desk, out of sight, to put away later.

Back in my bedroom, back into the bed. The kids are there watching TV, my wife's getting up to take a shower. I plop back in the bed. My wife looks at me from the door to the bathroom - I give her the "OK" sign.

A few calm minutes later, I ask him, "Hey, don't forget about your tooth..."

BrainyBoy (eyes on TV): "Yeah, I know. I'll check it later..."

Breathe, Barry, breathe...

Blatant Discrimination?

Ashe: KUB needs black woman

"Two men interested in a vacancy on the KUB board of commissioners have withdrawn after receiving a letter from Mayor Victor Ashe that he intends to appoint a woman. The woman is likely to be black, he said.

The term of Gloria Ray, KUB chairwoman, is expiring. While the mayor has told Ray he intends to replace her, she's applied for another seven-year term.

(...)

The mayor said the reason to replace Ray is "so more persons may serve." He also wants to replace a woman with a woman "because if a man is named then there would only be one woman serving on this important board which sets the tax rate for water, gas and electricity as well as manage this vital system," he said in his letter.

Ashe said he sent the letter to all those he identified as "having a male name." Of 27 applicants, that would appear to be 16.

All right, if I were hiring for a new assistant, and I made it public that I was only hiring a woman and that males need not apply - not only do am I not going to hire a male, I'm not going to hire a white female. And apparently, I'm proud of this fact, in the name of "diversity".

How is this not a major discrimination, Equal-Opportunity Employer, lawsuit-waiting-to-happen kind of story???

I know Ashe has had a long-standing feud with Gloria Ray (who hasn't he had a long-standing feud with? Oh yeah, Jack Sharp.) and makes no bones about the fact he's not going to hire her back, but should a lame-duck mayor ethically make this important a hire in his last months in office? What's to prevent Haslam from reversing whatever decision Ashe makes the moment he takes office (besides the obvious)?

I can't see anyone in the private sector making this kind of announcement and getting away with it.

One more thing, I respect Georgianna Vines as much as I understand the politics she writes about (which isn't a lot, but she helps make it a little more understandable), but am I the only one left uncomfortable referring to black people with the single noun "black"? To quote:

"When Ashe took office, there was one woman and one black on the board. During his four terms, three women have served at the same time while at the moment there are two. There is one black man.

Notice she uses the noun "black" to refer to a mamber of the board. Later in the same paragraph, she uses "black" as an adjective, i.e. a descriptor - a "black" man.

Am I a "white"? No, I would consider that a bit demeaning and separating. I'm not defined by my skin color, rather it's a descriptive part of me. Do we refer to Native Americans as "reds"? Of course not.

While I don't think Vines meant any harm, I believe it's a colloquial hanger-on from times past that just hasn't quite evolved its way out of the vernaculer yet. I remember my grandmother referring to them as the "blacks", but don't hear it much anymore - especially from people under 30.

It's an expression that needs to die out, and soon.

The Case Of Encyclopedia Brown's Mangled Corpse

This is just sad and tragic....

Idaville Detective 'Encyclopedia Brown' Found Dead in Library Dumpster

'Police discovered Brown's badly beaten, nearly decapitated body after the detective failed to respond to routine radio check-in calls. Pages from Brown's battered casebook, which contained such cryptic entries as "Whales are mammals, not fish," and "Dinosaurs and cavemen did not live at the same time," were found stuffed in the detective's mouth.'

It's rumored that famous Bayport detectives Frank and Joe Hardy are headed to Idaville to investigate this dastardly crime.

Cubs Win! Again!

The Atlanta Braves are my favorite team, but this is the year of the Cubby...

I remind everyone again of my opening day prediction - Cubs in the Series.

All they need is four measly wins against the Marlins, and they're in the Series.

Now, almost as important: the Red Sox are a win away from playing the Yankees for the AL crown. Could we have a Cubs/Red Sox World Series??????????

Armageddon. Yikes, better start stocking up on canned goods and duct tape again...

Blogstreet Profile

Move along, nothing to see here.

New Rocky Top Brigade Members

Welcome to the latest members of the Rocky Top Brigade: Eric the Straight White Guy and Rex at Rexblog

Volunteer Tailgate Party - Vol. XII

Brian at Resonance has the latest Volunteer Tailgate Party, a bi-weekly compilation of the best and brightest blatherings of the Rocky Top Brigade.

I didn't submit anything in this one since blogging's been light due to my occasional absences, but read the rest!

Conversations

(Myself and GiggleGirl, sitting in traffic waiting on a train to pass)

Me: C'mon, train....let's go!

Gigglegirl: Yeah, c'mon train! Move it!

(A few minutes of fruitless waiting)

Gigglegirl: C'mon train - hurry and get out of our way, or I'll kick your butt!!

(Pause of incredulous silence)

Me: What did you say???

Gigglegirl: mumblemumble

Me: What did you just say??

Gigglegirl: getoutofthewayorI'llkickyourbutt...

Me: E, I don't want to hear you saying that, you know that. That's not nice...

Gigglegirl: Ok....

Me: Ok.

(A sad, secret part of me wanted desparately for her to say, "or you'll kick my butt", after which I would have recovered from apoplectic fits of laughter I would've had the greatest blog ending ever. But alas, I see she needs more instruction in the snappy comeback. Gotta work on that.)

(Oh, and establishing that trains do not in fact have butts. They have a caboose (at least some of them do). Now if she'd said "I'll kick your caboose!" that would have lived in the Halls of Fame for many generations to come.)

Labels: Conversations

"Barry, Mr. Eisner is on Line 2"

Glenn has a touch choice:

"CNN called to ask if I'd debate [the media and Iraq] on Paula Zahn's show tonight, but I suggested that they call Jeff Jarvis or Jay Rosen instead. I haven't heard back, so I guess one or the other will be on (8:30 ET, I think), no doubt doing a better job than I would have.

Instadaddy's dropping names so fast they're shattering on the floor and making a mess on the carpet. How many people turn down a chance to offer commentary on CNN? Heck, I'd appear in a panel on the expanding habitat needs of New Zealand aardvarks if they asked me....

R-i-i-i-i-i-n-g

Oh, wait, I've got a call...

"Hello? Oh, hi, Mr. Irwin. How're things down under?--"

(I'll finish this up later...)

Would You Rather....

(Carried over from Master of None)

1. ... have super strength, or super speed?

2. ... be able to read minds, or be the greatest orator to have ever lived?

3. ... be a vampire or a werewolf?

4. ... give up the internet, or give up solid foods?

My answers are in the comments....

Exuberance

Today GiggleGirl is four years old.

And from the moment we first saw her this morning, she never stopped letting us know...

"I'm four years old! I'm four years old! I-i-i-i-i-i-i'm FOUR YEARS OLD!!! Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me...."

Happy Birthday, darling :)

I'm back

Did I miss anything?

Walking

Light blogging until next Monday.

I'm going on an Emmaus Walk starting Thursday around 6, and I'll be back Sunday night.

Basically, the Emmaus Walk - and Donald Sensing could probably explain it better than I can, since I've never done it before - is a:

'...spiritual renewal program intended to strengthen the local church through the development of Christian disciples and leaders. The program's approach seriously considers the model of Christ's servanthood and encourages Christ's disciples to act in ways appropriate to being "a servant of all."'

I've talked to several people in my church who have been, and for them it was a life-changing experience.

Several men, praying, witnessing, and learning how to walk closer with God. I may be a different person when I return - I hope so. I plan to write about it, if I can find the words.

Anyway, those of you who are inclined to please pray for me - the rest, think of me fondly as I miss the Florida game. Pull the Vols through!

See you Monday.

P.S. It's quite possible that sometime this weekend someone will become the 10,000th visitor to Inn of the Last Home. To that person, and all the others who've visited since I started in January, I thank you.

What's Really Going On

Two great posts:

1) Donald Sensing of One Hand Clapping dissects Bin Laden's Strategic Plan.

2) Michael J. Totten does a different kind of dissecting as he Fisks, folds, spindles and mutilates Ted Rall's latest chickenscratching. And that's insulting to the chicken...

Build-A-Story

I've always loved those one-line-at-a-time community stories. Anyway, here's one at Book Blog that myself and Queen Medb have participated in.

Take a look, and add a line!

Our Litigious Nation

Abourezk Sues Over ‘Traitor’ List

Apparently a former Senator is suing a website for calling him a traitor. The lawsuit is not expected to survive.

However, if it did there would be one positive thing. All Democrats could join in a class-action suit and sue Ann Coulter.

P.S.: Haven't heard much about ol' Ann in the last few weeks. Have her 15 minutes finally passed? Does anyone - conservative, liberal, libertarian, Ferengi... -- consider her a respectable representative of conservative ideals and values?

Google Referrals

Google Referrals

I've been getting quite a few hits lately from folks looking for "Cancun naked photo" or "WTO naked photo". Apparently bits and pieces of this post are being referenced.

Well, if I had one I wouldn't post it, but you're welcome to look around!

Oh, yeah, just to keep pulling in that Google traffic, here are some more topics I might be writing about, somewhere....

J-Lo and Ben Affleck

Jamal Lewis

Beagle

Bassett Hounds

Al Franken (may be a little late on this one)


Some more recent Google referral phrases of interest:

"women clotheses photo" (apparently Gollum is now blogging)

"oakland raider governor" (they'll let anyone run in CA)

"what da heck is a visionary philosopher" (don't ask me)

"drunk bunker t.shirt site online in store" (again, don't ask me)

UPDATE: AlphaPatriot speaks on the same subject. What's the subject? Googling for Boobs.