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My favorite obsession, currently is collecting Tarot decks. I've been collecting Tarot since 1974, although my first deck is lost somewhere, I have made up for it by collecting far too many other decks and books on Tarot, and I'm reading and learning as much as possible. You can see the decks right here.
After a long (well, not really so long) search, I have been gifted with a website for the fluffiest bunnies that have ever been seen by humankind. These are TRULY the fluffiest that have EVER been. And therefore, must be exposed for all the world to see. If you are brave, and if you can stand it, you can see these horrible fluffy bunnies here.
Well, Hurricane Isabel put us offline for almost a week. Then when the power came back, the Berkely DB powering movabletype, our blogging software, decided to commit suicide. After rebuilding the blogs that had been running on that machine, they had to be temporarily put on another machine, that made it necessary to redirect the blogs. After a clean reinstall on the original machine, I was in the midst of moving the blogs back over when....the T1 died.
So, after many calls, we got Verizon out here on a Sunday and they found that the physical T1 cable is basically disintegrating. It's about 10 years old. So, it will have to be replaced. They are planning to come fix it sometime "soon."
Therefore, we are BACK. Unfortunately, I must dig to find the old comments. They may not have been copied over. I will try to dig them up and put them back. Thanks for understanding.
Due to some kind of insanity, otherwise known as database corruption of some sort, all of my blogs that were located on a machine using Berkeley DB are basically scrogged. That is why there is currently a redirect, and that is why anyone who was trying to post comments was likely receiving errors. I am currently attempting to rebuild as much as I can. Meantime, hang on, and I will cast spells on naughty code.
Searching for a suitable Bargain of the Day led me to this auction for an audio book by David Benoit: Fourteen Things Witches Hope Parents Never Find Out:
For years, witchcraft has been seasonable. It seems every September and October, witches are on bulletin boards, front porches, and windows, as decorations for the upcoming Halloween season.
But, I have news for you. Witchcraft is not just for Halloween anymore. Our children are prime targets of these beliefs. 365 days a year, children are being preyed upon by witchcraft through the promotion of cartoons, toys, and games. There are also professing witches in the field of education. This puts our children in a very vulnerable position.
It has been said, Those who control the youth, control the future.
Could there be a plan in witchcraft to control the future of your child? Does God promise to protect Christian homes when parents allow occult items in their homes? No,
Through this tape series, you will hear some alarming evidence. some of the information on these tapes includes: Understanding which witch is which; Is there a difference between white and black magic?; Are trolls, smurfs, mermaids, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and other cartoon and games safe for your child?; 14 secrets witches hope you never find out; 7 practical ways to prepare your child from getting involved in witchcraft; and 27 scriptural admonitions for protecting your children.
Benoit is the person behind Glory Ministries and has written a number of of books aimed at the sort of Christian who needs to be told how to pronounce his name, mostly about the evils of popular culture. Apparently one to reserve his important words for those who pay for them, the only article on the site is an anti-Harry Potter rant. [The Pagan Prattle Online]
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After attempting to ram his god down the throats of the citizens of Alabama, now our favorite "judicial icon" is trying to ram it down the throats of the ENTIRE population. It will be amusing to see how this political hot potato goes.
The Dalai Lama yesterday brought his message of nonviolence and religious tolerance to the FleetCenter, declaring to a full house of 14,578 that "disarmament is our only hope." (By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff) [Boston Globe: Local]
And I bet he claims that the relatively light damage is due to his prayer. Har har har - ed.
United States: Pat Robertson recetnly urged his followers to cast a spell, sorry, pray in the name of Jesus to turn Hurricane Isabel away.
On today's broadcast of The 700 Club,
Robertson gave God credit for turning past hurricanes away in response to prayer.
Praying in the name of Jesus,
Robertson said he believes that God will put up a wall of protection.
He added that he and those praying with him command this storm to go out into the sea and to pass land harmlessly.
Robertson has a history of blaming disasters on the behaviour of the people affected, and claiming that they are punishments from God for 'crimes' such as tolerance of homosexuality. As Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell observes:
Remember when Pat Robertson suggested that gay-pride flags in Orlando might incur God's wrath in the form of a storm? How odd, since Isabel is now heading toward Virginia Beach -- where Pat is.
Pat Robertson prays that Hurricane Isabel will turn away - Hampton Roads NewsChannel 3, 17th September 2003 (via Stageleft - scroll down to find the story if you appear to have a blank right column - the layout is hosed); Taking Names: Hurricane Isabel - Orlando Sentinel, 18th September 2003.
It is day four without power here at The House of The Unknown Host. Yesterday, we had some hope when they brought a new power pole and many trucks to fix the transformers that had smashed onto the road when a tree took the original pole down. Alas, it was not to be as many explosions soon followed.
As a side note, Wes was going to get generator fuel when he noticed that a power pole was smoking. He let the power guys know, and they brushed him off. They paid attention when it burst into flame. Har har. I don't think we had the "A" team here.
We are better off than many in that we have a small generator that powers a little bit of the house. We are an all electric house on a well, so when we have no power, we have no water. The generator powers the well pump, the fridge, and a few lights. We have cold water, but not hot, so no showers. Our only damage was the pool equipment enclosure that was destroyed. The fallen trees missed all major structures. Yay.
More as it happens.
Buddhism and science come together as the Dalai Lama looks for a way to relieve the world's suffering. Turns out researchers think they can learn a lot from monks. Kim Zetter reports from Boston. [Wired News]
The Principal of the child's school had not seen the religious theme materials in the fundraising. She said that she will investigate getting the company that creates the catalog to remove the religious items. She said that the materials had gone through the Fairfax County "risk management" department who said it was fine. However, now that they know those things are in there, they will investigate other sources for fund raising for next year.
Seems fair enough to me.
Child is in middle school and is expected to do fund raising to support
the school band. So far, I guess it's ok, even though it's rather
insulting to be paying as high taxes as I am to have the privilege of
sending the child to one of the "best public school districts in the
country" and then having to send her out begging for funds, but I guess
it might teach her something.
Anyway, child brings home the fundraising magazine of things she's
supposed to sell. It's the "Holiday Issue" of stuff, and inside is a
bunch of snowmen, angels, and...get this...a nativity scene, a "dreidel
candle", and a tin of "haunnaka chocolates" with a star of david on the
tin.
So mom gets upset. And child becomes terrified that mom will "cause
trouble" for her in school. Well, mom is livid at the idea of child
selling religious themed items to benefit a public school. So mom
calls the principal who isn't available, but I left a message. She
hasn't called back. Mom then sent the following email to principal:
------------
From: Me
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2003 3:26:20 PM US/Eastern
To: Arlene.Randall@fcps.edu
Subject: Fundraising by students
I am the mother of xxxxxxxxxxxxxx who just came home with some
fundraising materials. I am highly concerned at the religious theme of
much of the material, and the blatant Christian theme of the Nativity
Scene, and the Hebrew theme of the Pecan Clusters in Hanukkah Tin, and
the Dreidel Candle.
I am aware that the school system is not deliberately causing strife
between people of differing religious backgrounds, so I would ask that
you please examine the fundraising materials and remove overtly
religious items from the sales drive. I would also ask that no
repercussions of this complaint affect my daughter in school.
Thank you very much for looking into this.
Rev. Me, Esq.
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So what do you guys think? Am I over the top? Have I gone bonkers?
Should I call for pickets and call the ACLU? Is this much ado about
nothing? Do I need a longer vacation?
Please let me know.
In yet another move closer to taxpayer funding for religious education, this story from the Washington Post:
The House of Representatives narrowly approved the nation's first federally funded school voucher plan yesterday, endorsing a five-year pilot program for at least 1,300 children in the District in what supporters called "shock treatment" for the city's struggling public education system. [Washington Post: Front Page]
Nothing gets me more annoyed with the state of the world, than the seemingly "all to human" desire to lay blame as far away from oneself as possible. Nothing, that is, except the desire to lay blame on the entity with the most money, regardless of how tenuous the connection between the wrong doers and the victim.
This is one of the reasons that i dislike being a lawyer so much. The idea that any injury becomes a lottery of sorts, with the victim rushing to the legal system for an unearned windfall just makes me want to hit them with a stone tablet with the Ethic of Self Responsibility engraved on it. Unfortunately, they still wouldn't "get it."
So imagine my reaction when I read a short article on Slashdot this morning about the victim's family, in a horrible shooting, went out and sued the creators of a video game.
The makers of Grand Theft Auto were sued by the family of a victim of two deranged teenagers who say that the game encouraged them to run outside with guns and start shooting at passing motorists. Well gee, I suppose this means that these teenagers learned right from wrong through this video game. Not through their parents, not through common sense, not through religion, but through this video game. Or perhaps the argument is that despite all of the learning imparted by others, this insidious video game somehow overrode their innate morality and forced them, against their wills, to find their parents' weapons, load them, then point and fire at passing motorists. What POWER this game must have.
Is it only this game? Or should ALL video games be immediately banned to protect society from impressionable teenagers wielding vorpal blades chasing house pets that they think may be bugbears? And is it just teenagers? Or are younger children prone to attempting to dress their little friends like Barbie dress up, crushing their self esteem for life? How about adults? Are these horrible video games powerful enough to brainwash otherwise moral adults into crazed killers?
Of course, if the teenage perpetrators in this case came from rich families, the blame would likely have remained with those who did it - the shooters. Then we could only wonder whether or not the parents would then be the plaintiffs against the game company. Because, as we all know, it's got to be somebody ELSE'S fault.
By Matt Cunningham (Cranbourne News)
JUNCTION Village naturopath and witchcraft practitioner Olivia Watts has spoken of the torment recent allegations of satanic cult activity in Casey have caused her and her family.
Casey councillor Rob Wilson raised concerns more than two months ago that a cult was trying to take over in the City of Casey.
Last Friday, Cr Wilson read a statement on 3SER Casey community radio saying the fact Ms Watts had declared she was a witch was "a matter of concern for all Casey residents".
Ms Watts has made a complaint against Cr Wilson to the Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria.
The matter has since been passed onto the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Ms Watts, who runs a home-based naturopathy clinic and practises the pagan religion Wicca, said the controversy had affected her health, her business and her family.
"I’d been so upset by this I’d been taking anti-depression medication," she said.
However, Ms Watts said she was not looking for sympathy.
"I’m just looking for people in authority to realise the personal effect these allegations have," she said.
"These are real people’s lives that they’re playing God with."
Ms Watts also expressed her disappointment in Casey mayor Cr Brian Oates for supporting Cr Wilson.
"I’m extremely disappointed that the mayor chose to support one specific religious view," she said.
"I think he should support all religions in the City of Casey."
Ms Watts said that despite the personal suffering she had endured, the controversy had brought pagans in Casey closer together.
She said she had received support from a number of groups including the Pagan Awareness Network (PAN).
"Before all this began I wasn’t a part of it," she said.
"Now I’ve been forced into relying on the support of these groups. I can’t fight the City of Casey with all its millions of dollars on my own."
She said the help of these groups had been particularly important when "it all got too much" for her.
PAN president David Garland sent a letter to Victorian Premier Steve Bracks in June voicing the network’s complaints about Cr Wilson’s comments.
Ms Watts said the issue was dividing the community and she would be glad when the whole affair was over.
"Whether you are siding with the Christian faith or with the pagans you are being asked to take sides," she said.
"All religions are a beautiful thing and Wicca teaches you that."
Cr Oates said he explained his reasons for not supporting all religions in Casey in a response to Mr Bracks.
"If people want me to represent paedophiles or Satanists or drug dealers, I’m sorry, but I want to represent the best interests of the whole community," he said.