I received some sad news today.
My mother called me this morning to tell me that my sister and her husband have decided to put their dog, Foxy, to sleep. I teared up on the phone, but didn't actually start crying because I don't like to cry in front of my mother. I was crushed, though, when I heard the news. Mom said that my brother-in-law had already called my nephew, who's away in college, to give him the news. Apparently, he took it pretty well, saying that his folks had to do what they had to do.
I know he's right, but I will miss Foxy, or Foxy-Woxy girl, as I like to call her.
Foxy is a real sweet dog, a big ol' lap puppy, as Sis calls her. She's part Husky and part unknown. My sister told my nephew when he was little that he could have a dog when he turned eight. Sis thought her son would forget about her promise, but when the age of eight hit, it was dog time! My nephew picked Foxy out of a group of puppies at the local Humane Society.
He was on this fox kick at the time, and picked Foxy because she looked like a fox; that's also how she got her name.
Foxy was a very cute and happy puppy, not difficult at all. When Mom and I would go over to my sister's house, Mom would coo at Foxy and rub her belly. Every since then, Foxy has just LOVED having her belly rubbed! When I go see her now, the first thing she does is lay on her back so I can rub her belly and talk baby talk to her. Then she likes for me to stroke her back and scratch her head. She likes that almost as much as she likes her belly rubs. Foxy isn't a good watch dog, she's just too friendly, but she's the best family dog there is. However, on the rare chance that Foxy doesn't like you, watch out! There were these two Doberman-looking dogs who used to live next door, and Foxy hated them. Whenever she saw them she'd start growling and barking, and try to attack them. We never figured out why Foxy didn't like them.
Fortunately, they moved away before anyone got hurt.
With the exception of the Doberman look alikes, Foxy gets along with everyone and everything. She's just a dear, sweet dog. I love her very much, and it will be so hard to lose her, but she's ten years old now and her health is very bad. Mainly, she suffers from hip displasia, which causes her alot of pain and makes it difficult for her to walk. It's also painful for her to lay down on the side with the bad hip, so she lays on just one side and is getting sores that don't seem to want to heal. Hip replacement surgery for Foxy will probably cost $3000, and with a son in college that's something Sis and her husband just can't afford. So, they've made the painful decision to put Foxy down. This decision is especially hard because our family's had so much loss this year.
In February we lost our father to cancer, which crushed us. Then, my nephew went off to college in August. That might not seem like a loss, but it is because we're losing a beloved child to adulthood. Anyone who's a parent, or honorary parent, will know what I mean. Then I lost my job, also in August, which dealt a body blow to my self-esteem, not to mention my pocket book. And now we're losing Foxy. It's almost too much.
I don't know the date when Foxy will go. I'm definitely going to go see her before it happens. It'll break my heart to look into her eyes knowing she has no idea what's coming. But I'll be strong because it really is for the best. My father was in alot of pain and mental distress before he died and that was agonizing to see. I don't want that for Foxy, even if she is just a dog. If she can be sent on peacefully, I think that's a compassionate return on the "investment" of unconditional love she gave all of us.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Friday, October 28, 2005
Back from the Carnival*
I'm home!
I went to the Halloween carnival at my sister's school like I wrote about yesterday, and now I'm home. Actually, I've been home for about an hour and a half. I've been on the computer checking my e-mail and just surfing the net a while before I go to bed. I decided to post before I got too sleepy to think straight.
The carnival was great! I helped Sis with the cake walk. It was fun watching people, especially the kids, get all excited over winning a cake. Those were some yummy looking cakes, too. I think I would've been pretty happy if I'd won one. I didn't do the cake walk, though. I just worked the music, stopping and starting the cd, while the people walked around the numbered circle. All the cakes were won, and there were at least 20 of them! I was glad that no cakes were left over, because they were donated by the parents and I didn't want anyone to feel like they'd wasted their money.
I didn't spend all of my time working the cake walk. For about 45 minutes, while a parent volunteer worked the cake walk music, I walked around to see the rest of the carnival. There was a live band this year, instead of a dj booth. There was face painting, sponge tossing, hair painting, football tossing, a bounce house, and, of course, the cake walk. Domino's pizza was for sale, as was candy, cotton candy, nachos, sodas, and my favorite, funnel cakes! The turnout didn't seem as big as the last carnival I went to, and not as many kids came in their Halloween costumes, but everyone who did come was having a good time.
I'm glad Sis invited me to the carnival. This might be the last one I go to, since Sis is seriously considering leaving her present career for something different. She might stay a librarian, but at the high school or even college level. So this probably was the last hurrah at her current school. Hmmmmm...so much change. Nephews grow up, sisters change careers, fathers die...so much change. But I digress. I'll end on the happy note that I had a great time with Sis at the carnival. It was a great way to start the week-end!
I went to the Halloween carnival at my sister's school like I wrote about yesterday, and now I'm home. Actually, I've been home for about an hour and a half. I've been on the computer checking my e-mail and just surfing the net a while before I go to bed. I decided to post before I got too sleepy to think straight.
The carnival was great! I helped Sis with the cake walk. It was fun watching people, especially the kids, get all excited over winning a cake. Those were some yummy looking cakes, too. I think I would've been pretty happy if I'd won one. I didn't do the cake walk, though. I just worked the music, stopping and starting the cd, while the people walked around the numbered circle. All the cakes were won, and there were at least 20 of them! I was glad that no cakes were left over, because they were donated by the parents and I didn't want anyone to feel like they'd wasted their money.
I didn't spend all of my time working the cake walk. For about 45 minutes, while a parent volunteer worked the cake walk music, I walked around to see the rest of the carnival. There was a live band this year, instead of a dj booth. There was face painting, sponge tossing, hair painting, football tossing, a bounce house, and, of course, the cake walk. Domino's pizza was for sale, as was candy, cotton candy, nachos, sodas, and my favorite, funnel cakes! The turnout didn't seem as big as the last carnival I went to, and not as many kids came in their Halloween costumes, but everyone who did come was having a good time.
I'm glad Sis invited me to the carnival. This might be the last one I go to, since Sis is seriously considering leaving her present career for something different. She might stay a librarian, but at the high school or even college level. So this probably was the last hurrah at her current school. Hmmmmm...so much change. Nephews grow up, sisters change careers, fathers die...so much change. But I digress. I'll end on the happy note that I had a great time with Sis at the carnival. It was a great way to start the week-end!
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Carnival!*
I'm going to the carnival!
My sister's school is having it's Halloween carnival tomorrow(Friday) and I can't wait to go. I'm so excited! I know, it might seem a little weird getting all worked up over an elementary school carnival, but I'll be spending time with my sister, and that's why I'm looking forward to it so much.
As you've probably guessed, I love my sister very much. We've been close since childhood. I could always talk to her about anything, and she always accepted me, giving me unconditional love like our mother should have. And she gave me "my" only child, my nephew, who's as much my child as he can be without me having given birth to him. In fact, the only fly in the ointment about the carnival is that my nephew won't be there. He's away in college; I'll have to wait until Thanksgiving to see him, but I'll get to see his mom tomorrow!
This is only the second Halloween carnival we've been to since Sis's been working at this school.
We went to another one about two years ago, and it was a blast. My nephew was there then, and Sis was working the book fair. The book fair was kind of a fair within a fair. It was located in one of the portable classrooms on campus. We weren't involved in the actual carnival activities, but we could see everything that was going on, and we were right by the dj booth, so we really heard the music!
I'll never forget one of the things I saw at that carnival. It was a little girl, about 6, dressed in a Little Mermaid costume. She couldn't dance worth a lick, but that didn't stop her from sashaying over to the dj booth and "dancing" her little heart out. Her tail fin was flip flopping all over the place. It was the cutest thing! I remember thinking how liberating it must be to just have fun, with absolutely no concern about what other people thought. That little girl was totally caught up in the sheer joy of the moment, her moment, and she let her fins fly! I can only wish I had that kind of freedom from self-consciousness. I believe I'd be a much happier human being.
Anyway, I can't wait to go to the carnival. There probably won't be another mermaid show, but that's ok. I'll be with Sis--she's in charge of the cake walk this year--and that's joy enough.
P.S.
Don't forget to turn your clocks back Sunday! Happy Halloween!
My sister's school is having it's Halloween carnival tomorrow(Friday) and I can't wait to go. I'm so excited! I know, it might seem a little weird getting all worked up over an elementary school carnival, but I'll be spending time with my sister, and that's why I'm looking forward to it so much.
As you've probably guessed, I love my sister very much. We've been close since childhood. I could always talk to her about anything, and she always accepted me, giving me unconditional love like our mother should have. And she gave me "my" only child, my nephew, who's as much my child as he can be without me having given birth to him. In fact, the only fly in the ointment about the carnival is that my nephew won't be there. He's away in college; I'll have to wait until Thanksgiving to see him, but I'll get to see his mom tomorrow!
This is only the second Halloween carnival we've been to since Sis's been working at this school.
We went to another one about two years ago, and it was a blast. My nephew was there then, and Sis was working the book fair. The book fair was kind of a fair within a fair. It was located in one of the portable classrooms on campus. We weren't involved in the actual carnival activities, but we could see everything that was going on, and we were right by the dj booth, so we really heard the music!
I'll never forget one of the things I saw at that carnival. It was a little girl, about 6, dressed in a Little Mermaid costume. She couldn't dance worth a lick, but that didn't stop her from sashaying over to the dj booth and "dancing" her little heart out. Her tail fin was flip flopping all over the place. It was the cutest thing! I remember thinking how liberating it must be to just have fun, with absolutely no concern about what other people thought. That little girl was totally caught up in the sheer joy of the moment, her moment, and she let her fins fly! I can only wish I had that kind of freedom from self-consciousness. I believe I'd be a much happier human being.
Anyway, I can't wait to go to the carnival. There probably won't be another mermaid show, but that's ok. I'll be with Sis--she's in charge of the cake walk this year--and that's joy enough.
P.S.
Don't forget to turn your clocks back Sunday! Happy Halloween!
Monday, October 24, 2005
Will the ACLU STFU?!
The ACLU is at it again.
The Pentagaon released some information regarding possible prisoner abuse by American servicemen, and now the wonderful defenders of terrorists' rights are claiming that at least 21 homicides have been committed by American personnel in our military prisons. The ACLU's concern is soooo touching.
Let's get real people. Whatever abuse that American military and/or intelligence personnel may have committed on detainees in Afghanistan and Iraq should be punished. In fact, over 200 servicemen have been punished for going too far during prisoner interrogations. That suggests that America is trying hard to conduct itself humanely against an enemy who doesn't give a rat's patootie about the value of American lives. But the ACLU doesn't care about that. Opposing the war in Iraq is the name of this game.
Raising a sanctimonious hue and cry about the very small number of deaths among detainees is not about fighting torture. The ACLU is a left-wing organization that's against the Iraq war; it wants to bring as much bad publicity as possible to the war and those who're fighting it. The ACLU, like Dick Durbin, doesn't care that accusing American soldiers of murdering detainees will fan the flames of hatred against those soldiers and provide recruiting power to Islamic extremists around the globe. More dead Americans might even be what the ACLU, and other "anti-war" activists, want because it will give more moral ammunition to their support-the-troops-bring-them-home rhetoric.
Nobody in their right mind likes torture. The American military doesn't like torture; that's why over 200 military personnel have been punished, I say again, for going overboard during interrogations. But sometimes people will go overboard. It's happened in every war, in every military, throughout history. That doesn't mean that what's going on in our military prisons is anywhere on a par with the bestial torture Saddam Hussein's regime inflicted on its own people.
Detainees in American custody are not being dropped alive into meat grinders and acid baths. They're not being lined up in front of firing squads. They're not having body parts cut off. They're not being hauled into gang rape rooms. Their families are not being subjected to such hideous treament in their place. And "anti-war" activists in America are not suffering such persecution over here. That suggests that the American government and military are pretty decent folks on the world scene. Once, just once, I wish the ACLU and its left-wing cohorts would realize that.
The Pentagaon released some information regarding possible prisoner abuse by American servicemen, and now the wonderful defenders of terrorists' rights are claiming that at least 21 homicides have been committed by American personnel in our military prisons. The ACLU's concern is soooo touching.
Let's get real people. Whatever abuse that American military and/or intelligence personnel may have committed on detainees in Afghanistan and Iraq should be punished. In fact, over 200 servicemen have been punished for going too far during prisoner interrogations. That suggests that America is trying hard to conduct itself humanely against an enemy who doesn't give a rat's patootie about the value of American lives. But the ACLU doesn't care about that. Opposing the war in Iraq is the name of this game.
Raising a sanctimonious hue and cry about the very small number of deaths among detainees is not about fighting torture. The ACLU is a left-wing organization that's against the Iraq war; it wants to bring as much bad publicity as possible to the war and those who're fighting it. The ACLU, like Dick Durbin, doesn't care that accusing American soldiers of murdering detainees will fan the flames of hatred against those soldiers and provide recruiting power to Islamic extremists around the globe. More dead Americans might even be what the ACLU, and other "anti-war" activists, want because it will give more moral ammunition to their support-the-troops-bring-them-home rhetoric.
Nobody in their right mind likes torture. The American military doesn't like torture; that's why over 200 military personnel have been punished, I say again, for going overboard during interrogations. But sometimes people will go overboard. It's happened in every war, in every military, throughout history. That doesn't mean that what's going on in our military prisons is anywhere on a par with the bestial torture Saddam Hussein's regime inflicted on its own people.
Detainees in American custody are not being dropped alive into meat grinders and acid baths. They're not being lined up in front of firing squads. They're not having body parts cut off. They're not being hauled into gang rape rooms. Their families are not being subjected to such hideous treament in their place. And "anti-war" activists in America are not suffering such persecution over here. That suggests that the American government and military are pretty decent folks on the world scene. Once, just once, I wish the ACLU and its left-wing cohorts would realize that.
Honest Givers*
Hello friends! You may be wondering why I have a savemesites.com link on my blog if I'm no longer using the site. Well, I'm not using the site anymore, but alot of people are and I want to give them a chance to get some notice and have some honest givers donate to and/or contact them.
As you know, I was using the site to try and raise money for my rent until I could get back on my feet. Instead of getting help, I got alot of worthless and insulting e-mails from con artists who thought I was stupid and/or desperate enough to give them money or personal info like my bank account number. What creeps!
I removed my page from the site, but there are still alot of needy people using this site as a last resort. I want them to have a chance to get a little help with their situation, and have a little hope that things will get better for them. And I want them to have this without having to worry about heartless scammers scheming for their last dollar. That's where you, dear readers, come in.
I'm asking the honest people who read my blog to check out savemesites.com and offer some help to the desperate people who are on there. I know you can give at least a dollar or two to someone on the site, or maybe offer some good advice that could help someone overcome their circumstances. And heartfelt prayer, of course, is always needed. Not all help has to be in the form of money.
So visit the site and let the people know that there are people in this world looking out for poor folks, not just looking to get them.
As you know, I was using the site to try and raise money for my rent until I could get back on my feet. Instead of getting help, I got alot of worthless and insulting e-mails from con artists who thought I was stupid and/or desperate enough to give them money or personal info like my bank account number. What creeps!
I removed my page from the site, but there are still alot of needy people using this site as a last resort. I want them to have a chance to get a little help with their situation, and have a little hope that things will get better for them. And I want them to have this without having to worry about heartless scammers scheming for their last dollar. That's where you, dear readers, come in.
I'm asking the honest people who read my blog to check out savemesites.com and offer some help to the desperate people who are on there. I know you can give at least a dollar or two to someone on the site, or maybe offer some good advice that could help someone overcome their circumstances. And heartfelt prayer, of course, is always needed. Not all help has to be in the form of money.
So visit the site and let the people know that there are people in this world looking out for poor folks, not just looking to get them.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Oh! The Desecration!
First the Koran, now dead bodies.
In our heroic war on terror, American soldiers have once again been accused of doing something Muslims don't like. It seems an Australian news crew filmed some of our boys burning the corpses of two dead Taliban fighters after they were killed in an ambush. The image was picked up by cable news channels, and now Muslims are mad. Cry me a river.
If we would just remember, it was the Taliban who harbored Osama ben Laden and Al-Quaida in Afghanistan, giving them ample space to set up camps were the 9/11 killers, and other Islamic terrorists, were trained. The Taliban were also the nice people who outlawed education and employment for girls and women, carried out public executions for adultery, required Afghanistan's few non-Muslims to wear identifying badges on their clothes, and even outlawed kites. In short, these people were NUTS! So if our boys got a little carried away and burned a couple of their dead bodies, so what? SO WHAT?
The Koran may forbid cremation, but Americans aren't governed by the Koran. And if cremation is really so offensive to Muslims, why do so many of them support the 9/11 attacks and virtually worship the attackers? I mean, weren't the terrorists cremated when they slammed the planes full of jet fuel into their targets? Not only did the murderers commit suicide, but they did it in a way that assured that their bodies would burn. The terrorists were cremated by their own hands, yet they are heros throughout the Muslim world. And Muslims are offended by cremation? Please!
It's time we stopped being so damned sensitive about Muslims' feelings. We didn't win World War II by bending over backwards not to offend the Germans' cultural sensibilities. We were thinking about the value of American lives, not Japanese lives, when we made the decision to drop the bomb. We understood we were in a fight for our very survival, and we did what it took to win.
We are in another war for our very survival. Islamic fundamentalist terrorists want nothing less than an Islamic world governed by the brutal dictates of Sharia law, where non-Muslims must pay protection money called the jizya tax, or face forced conversion or death.
If this is the world you want, then march on to the drum beats of Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan. Clamor with the ACLU for more pictures of Abu Ghraib. Demand a virtual lynching of any American soldier who violates the pettiest of Islamic social rules. Do all these things, and Sharia will one day rule the world.
I don't want that horrible, horrible world. Islamic imperialism must be stopped. And if it takes a few cremated Muslims to stop it, I say, "Burn, baby, burn!"
In our heroic war on terror, American soldiers have once again been accused of doing something Muslims don't like. It seems an Australian news crew filmed some of our boys burning the corpses of two dead Taliban fighters after they were killed in an ambush. The image was picked up by cable news channels, and now Muslims are mad. Cry me a river.
If we would just remember, it was the Taliban who harbored Osama ben Laden and Al-Quaida in Afghanistan, giving them ample space to set up camps were the 9/11 killers, and other Islamic terrorists, were trained. The Taliban were also the nice people who outlawed education and employment for girls and women, carried out public executions for adultery, required Afghanistan's few non-Muslims to wear identifying badges on their clothes, and even outlawed kites. In short, these people were NUTS! So if our boys got a little carried away and burned a couple of their dead bodies, so what? SO WHAT?
The Koran may forbid cremation, but Americans aren't governed by the Koran. And if cremation is really so offensive to Muslims, why do so many of them support the 9/11 attacks and virtually worship the attackers? I mean, weren't the terrorists cremated when they slammed the planes full of jet fuel into their targets? Not only did the murderers commit suicide, but they did it in a way that assured that their bodies would burn. The terrorists were cremated by their own hands, yet they are heros throughout the Muslim world. And Muslims are offended by cremation? Please!
It's time we stopped being so damned sensitive about Muslims' feelings. We didn't win World War II by bending over backwards not to offend the Germans' cultural sensibilities. We were thinking about the value of American lives, not Japanese lives, when we made the decision to drop the bomb. We understood we were in a fight for our very survival, and we did what it took to win.
We are in another war for our very survival. Islamic fundamentalist terrorists want nothing less than an Islamic world governed by the brutal dictates of Sharia law, where non-Muslims must pay protection money called the jizya tax, or face forced conversion or death.
If this is the world you want, then march on to the drum beats of Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan. Clamor with the ACLU for more pictures of Abu Ghraib. Demand a virtual lynching of any American soldier who violates the pettiest of Islamic social rules. Do all these things, and Sharia will one day rule the world.
I don't want that horrible, horrible world. Islamic imperialism must be stopped. And if it takes a few cremated Muslims to stop it, I say, "Burn, baby, burn!"
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
I Need a Little Help*
Hello friends in bloggerland. I haven't asked for some financial help in a while, but I really need it now.
I got an eviction notice today. I have until Saturday, Oct. 22, to move out. Problem is, I have no place to go. I could move in with my Mom, but that would involve alot of humilitation; suffering through alot of smug, self-righteous I-told-you-so's. I can't bear the thought of that. Of course, I can't bear the thought of living on the street either. I'm so distraught, I don't know what to do.
For those of you who don't know, I was fired from my job in August and have been working only part-time since then. I found some fairly decent paying jobs in the newspaper, but they were all a 30-60 minute drive away. I don't mind commuting, but driving that far for a $7-$8 an hour job with the cost of gas being what it is, well, it just didn't make sense. So, I've been working in my best friend's antique store.
I have been trying other things as well. My friend lets me put my crocheted bears and baby blankets in her stores(she has two) for free, but they haven't sold like I thought they would. I've also been doing alot of babysitting for a child who goes to the day care I used to work at. Her mother, "Jane", has said I can clean her house for $30 a week, and that her neighbor also needs a housecleaner for about the same price. I was to tentatively start this coming Monday, but I might not have a home then.
I was looking forward to cleaning house for "Jane". I actually started to form a plan in my mind. After talking with "Jane", I figured I could clean three houses on Monday(the store's closed on Mondays) for $90, then clean one house on Tues-Fri for $30 each; that's $210 a week. Then I could still work in the store Tues-Fri for $80 a week. In total, I'd be bringing home $290 a week, $1160 a month. I could live on that.
I liked this plan. The more I thought of it, I actually started to feel a little bit of hope that things could get better for me. I was looking forward to Monday, then I came home from work today and found that damn eviction notice taped to my front door. There went all the wind in my sails. The family curse had struck again.
The curse seems to be stopping anyone from helping me, too. I had a page on a site for needy people called savemesites.com. I received only one $1 donation during the three months my page was up. I also joined a couple of financial aid groups on Yahoo!, but they proved useless too. The only consistent responses I got from the Yahoo! groups and savemesites were from con men. It's disheartening to see all the people willing to exploit those who're down on their luck. And the contempt the scammers have for poor people's intelligence is amazing!
For example, one guy--I assume it was a guy--in one of the Yahoo! groups e-mailed me and the other group members that he had just won the lottery and wanted to help the first 100 folks who contacted him. So far, so good. Then the creep had the nerve to ask for $5 from everyone who wrote him!!!! He claimed he'd won the lottery, but he needed $5 from poor people??!! Gimme a break! I was a little mad at the moderator of that group for letting such an obvious scammer post such an obvious scam. I'm not a member of that group anymore.
Then there was the UK national lottery scam.
I got an e-mail informing me that I'd won the UK national lottery, even though I'd never entered it. I was told to e-mail my ticket number to a Mr. Andrew Gordon Furness, who'd then send me my claim form. Well, I did a Yahoo! search of Mr. Furness's name and, voila!, scammer! Didn't this guy know he was on Yahoo!? Didn't it occur to him that I might be smart enough to check? Shees!
And I can't forget the Nigerians. They started it all with their poignant, misspelled, e-mails telling me I was discoverd to be the heir of a man who died in a car wreck--or was it a plane crash?-- with his entire family, and would I please wire them some money so they could transfer my inheritance? NO!
See what I mean by disheartening?
So that's why I'm asking for a little help from any kind and honest people out there in cyberspace. I'm not looking for hundreds of dollars from just a few folks. I know that times are hard and most people can't afford to give more than a dollar or two, and that's fine. If 1,000 people put just 1 or 2 dollars each in my tip jar, I could save my apartment and have time to get my house cleaning business up and running before next month's rent is due.
Please, I'm not a bum who won't work. I'm not an addict who'll spend the money on drugs or alcohol. I'm just an ordinary person who's down on her luck and doesn't want to stay there. Will someone out there please help me? Thank you in advance, and God Bless You!
I got an eviction notice today. I have until Saturday, Oct. 22, to move out. Problem is, I have no place to go. I could move in with my Mom, but that would involve alot of humilitation; suffering through alot of smug, self-righteous I-told-you-so's. I can't bear the thought of that. Of course, I can't bear the thought of living on the street either. I'm so distraught, I don't know what to do.
For those of you who don't know, I was fired from my job in August and have been working only part-time since then. I found some fairly decent paying jobs in the newspaper, but they were all a 30-60 minute drive away. I don't mind commuting, but driving that far for a $7-$8 an hour job with the cost of gas being what it is, well, it just didn't make sense. So, I've been working in my best friend's antique store.
I have been trying other things as well. My friend lets me put my crocheted bears and baby blankets in her stores(she has two) for free, but they haven't sold like I thought they would. I've also been doing alot of babysitting for a child who goes to the day care I used to work at. Her mother, "Jane", has said I can clean her house for $30 a week, and that her neighbor also needs a housecleaner for about the same price. I was to tentatively start this coming Monday, but I might not have a home then.
I was looking forward to cleaning house for "Jane". I actually started to form a plan in my mind. After talking with "Jane", I figured I could clean three houses on Monday(the store's closed on Mondays) for $90, then clean one house on Tues-Fri for $30 each; that's $210 a week. Then I could still work in the store Tues-Fri for $80 a week. In total, I'd be bringing home $290 a week, $1160 a month. I could live on that.
I liked this plan. The more I thought of it, I actually started to feel a little bit of hope that things could get better for me. I was looking forward to Monday, then I came home from work today and found that damn eviction notice taped to my front door. There went all the wind in my sails. The family curse had struck again.
The curse seems to be stopping anyone from helping me, too. I had a page on a site for needy people called savemesites.com. I received only one $1 donation during the three months my page was up. I also joined a couple of financial aid groups on Yahoo!, but they proved useless too. The only consistent responses I got from the Yahoo! groups and savemesites were from con men. It's disheartening to see all the people willing to exploit those who're down on their luck. And the contempt the scammers have for poor people's intelligence is amazing!
For example, one guy--I assume it was a guy--in one of the Yahoo! groups e-mailed me and the other group members that he had just won the lottery and wanted to help the first 100 folks who contacted him. So far, so good. Then the creep had the nerve to ask for $5 from everyone who wrote him!!!! He claimed he'd won the lottery, but he needed $5 from poor people??!! Gimme a break! I was a little mad at the moderator of that group for letting such an obvious scammer post such an obvious scam. I'm not a member of that group anymore.
Then there was the UK national lottery scam.
I got an e-mail informing me that I'd won the UK national lottery, even though I'd never entered it. I was told to e-mail my ticket number to a Mr. Andrew Gordon Furness, who'd then send me my claim form. Well, I did a Yahoo! search of Mr. Furness's name and, voila!, scammer! Didn't this guy know he was on Yahoo!? Didn't it occur to him that I might be smart enough to check? Shees!
And I can't forget the Nigerians. They started it all with their poignant, misspelled, e-mails telling me I was discoverd to be the heir of a man who died in a car wreck--or was it a plane crash?-- with his entire family, and would I please wire them some money so they could transfer my inheritance? NO!
See what I mean by disheartening?
So that's why I'm asking for a little help from any kind and honest people out there in cyberspace. I'm not looking for hundreds of dollars from just a few folks. I know that times are hard and most people can't afford to give more than a dollar or two, and that's fine. If 1,000 people put just 1 or 2 dollars each in my tip jar, I could save my apartment and have time to get my house cleaning business up and running before next month's rent is due.
Please, I'm not a bum who won't work. I'm not an addict who'll spend the money on drugs or alcohol. I'm just an ordinary person who's down on her luck and doesn't want to stay there. Will someone out there please help me? Thank you in advance, and God Bless You!
Monday, October 17, 2005
I Did It!*
I did it!
I finally got a Paypal donate button on my blog! I finally figured it out! Yippeeee!!!!
Actually, I put the BlogDaisy button on first. It was kind of my guinea pig link. I went to blogger help and clicked on template tags and started reading the instructions with real understanding. I don't know why I just now really understood how to do the link thing. I've tried several times before to figure it out and it just didn't come to me. But this time, it did!
Now, I no longer need my savemesites.com page, or, rather, no one who wants to donate to yours truly will have to leave my blog and link to another site. No, you can just scroll down to the ol' Paypal button to put a little something in the tip jar. So bye-bye savemesites; hello Paypal. It's a beautiful thing!
I finally got a Paypal donate button on my blog! I finally figured it out! Yippeeee!!!!
Actually, I put the BlogDaisy button on first. It was kind of my guinea pig link. I went to blogger help and clicked on template tags and started reading the instructions with real understanding. I don't know why I just now really understood how to do the link thing. I've tried several times before to figure it out and it just didn't come to me. But this time, it did!
Now, I no longer need my savemesites.com page, or, rather, no one who wants to donate to yours truly will have to leave my blog and link to another site. No, you can just scroll down to the ol' Paypal button to put a little something in the tip jar. So bye-bye savemesites; hello Paypal. It's a beautiful thing!
Friday, October 14, 2005
The Nicest House on the Block
I was listening to the Glen Beck radio show on FoxRadio yesterday and Glen, the host, had a very good illustration of the illegal "immigration" problem.
Glen was talking to a South African man whose family had been in America illegally during the fall of apartheid. The guy was trying to explain to Glen America's attraction to people in other countries. Basically, he gave Glen the usual they-come-here-because-you-have-so-much-and-they-have-so-little party line. Glen understood where the man was coming from, but he gave him a rebuttal that's very worth repeating.
Glen asked the man to imagine the world as one street block. America is the nicest house on that block and Glen is the owner. As the owner of the best house, Glen invites many of his neighbors to his home. Invites, people. Those allowed in are given work and other opportunities to better themselves. Of course, everyone knows there're goodies in Glen's house, and some of the neighbors decide it's not fair that entrance is by invitation only. They break in and take whatever they've come to believe they're entitled to; they totally disregard Glen's rights as the homeowner. A few of them even assault Glen and his family. Their poverty gives them that right, doesn't it? No! And that's point of the parable.
If you take something--money, a job, an opportunity--that's freely offered to you, that's ok. But if you take something that's not freely offered to you, that's stealing. Even if you're poor.
Illegal aliens are stealing opportunity from America. America is being used and more and more Americans are feeling it. That's why the Minutemen are patrolling the border. It's not about racism or heartlessness. It's about the homeowner demanding respect for his rights. America's the nicest house on the block, but you still have to ask to come in.
Glen was talking to a South African man whose family had been in America illegally during the fall of apartheid. The guy was trying to explain to Glen America's attraction to people in other countries. Basically, he gave Glen the usual they-come-here-because-you-have-so-much-and-they-have-so-little party line. Glen understood where the man was coming from, but he gave him a rebuttal that's very worth repeating.
Glen asked the man to imagine the world as one street block. America is the nicest house on that block and Glen is the owner. As the owner of the best house, Glen invites many of his neighbors to his home. Invites, people. Those allowed in are given work and other opportunities to better themselves. Of course, everyone knows there're goodies in Glen's house, and some of the neighbors decide it's not fair that entrance is by invitation only. They break in and take whatever they've come to believe they're entitled to; they totally disregard Glen's rights as the homeowner. A few of them even assault Glen and his family. Their poverty gives them that right, doesn't it? No! And that's point of the parable.
If you take something--money, a job, an opportunity--that's freely offered to you, that's ok. But if you take something that's not freely offered to you, that's stealing. Even if you're poor.
Illegal aliens are stealing opportunity from America. America is being used and more and more Americans are feeling it. That's why the Minutemen are patrolling the border. It's not about racism or heartlessness. It's about the homeowner demanding respect for his rights. America's the nicest house on the block, but you still have to ask to come in.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Allah's Judgment?
It seems nature hasn't joined the jihad after all.
If you recall, some jihadists claimed that hurricane Katrina had joined the jihad against America after the devastation of that storm became front page news. Now, after the horrible earthquake that struck Muslim Pakistan on Saturday, the jihadists have to reconsider just whose side Allah is really on.
Yes, hurricane Katrina hurt America, but America is a rich nation and can absorb the losses inflicted by the storm. Surely, if Allah wanted to punish America, he would've sent a far worse catastrophe on her. Instead, he sent that catastrophe on Muslim Pakistan. How do the jihadists explain that?
The earthquake has killed at least 30,000 Muslims in Pakistan, the worst natural disaster in the nation's history. Maybe that had something to do with the kind of Islam popular in the country. It's the Islam that sympathizes with Osama Ben Laden, known to be hiding in Pakistan. It's the Islam of militant madrassas teaching religious hatred to thousands of innocent children. It's the Islam that sanctions "honor" killings of rape victims. It's the Islam that is utterly intolerant of "unIslamic" thought. In short, it's the jihadists' Islam.
Perhaps this earthquake will make many Muslims think. America is supposed to be the Great Satan, yet her natural disaster took less than 1,000 lives. The "pure", Islamic nation of Pakistan, on the other hand, was hit with hell on earth. If the murderous fundamentalism preached by so many imams, and coming out of so many mosques, is what Allah really wants, the earthquake is a strange reward indeed. Hopefully, thinking Muslims will see the spiritual inconsistency in this tragedy, and start to seriously question what's happening in, and to, their faith. The jihadists' Islam was rewarded with death and destruction. May the lesson be deeply learned.
If you recall, some jihadists claimed that hurricane Katrina had joined the jihad against America after the devastation of that storm became front page news. Now, after the horrible earthquake that struck Muslim Pakistan on Saturday, the jihadists have to reconsider just whose side Allah is really on.
Yes, hurricane Katrina hurt America, but America is a rich nation and can absorb the losses inflicted by the storm. Surely, if Allah wanted to punish America, he would've sent a far worse catastrophe on her. Instead, he sent that catastrophe on Muslim Pakistan. How do the jihadists explain that?
The earthquake has killed at least 30,000 Muslims in Pakistan, the worst natural disaster in the nation's history. Maybe that had something to do with the kind of Islam popular in the country. It's the Islam that sympathizes with Osama Ben Laden, known to be hiding in Pakistan. It's the Islam of militant madrassas teaching religious hatred to thousands of innocent children. It's the Islam that sanctions "honor" killings of rape victims. It's the Islam that is utterly intolerant of "unIslamic" thought. In short, it's the jihadists' Islam.
Perhaps this earthquake will make many Muslims think. America is supposed to be the Great Satan, yet her natural disaster took less than 1,000 lives. The "pure", Islamic nation of Pakistan, on the other hand, was hit with hell on earth. If the murderous fundamentalism preached by so many imams, and coming out of so many mosques, is what Allah really wants, the earthquake is a strange reward indeed. Hopefully, thinking Muslims will see the spiritual inconsistency in this tragedy, and start to seriously question what's happening in, and to, their faith. The jihadists' Islam was rewarded with death and destruction. May the lesson be deeply learned.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Hail the Minutemen!
The Minutemen are in Texas!
For all those living under a rock, the Minutemen are citizen defenders who volunteer their time helping the Border Patrol(BP) catch illegal aliens trying to enter the U.S. along the U.S.-Mexico border. The group, officially called The Minuteman Project, was started in Arizona earlier this year by Jim Gilchrist and Chris Simcox. The men wanted to draw attention to the federal government's failure to protect America's borders as the Constitution requires. They also wanted to inform Americans about the danger posed by illegal aliens and the damage they're doing to Americans' lives and property as they cross the border. The group helped the BP along the Arizona-Mexico border in April and now they're in Texas! Hallelujah!
The Minuteman Project's volunteers will be in the Lone Star state for the month of October, helping the BP keep watch along the Texas-Mexico divide. The volunteers won't arrest anyone, but will notify the BP when illegals are spotted. It's thrilling not just that the Minutemen are in Texas, but that ordinary American citizens are brave enough to do the job their own government won't.
Why the federal government won't do its Constitutionally mandated duty is anyone's guess, but illegal "immigration" is out of control and SOMETHING has to be done about it. Having citizen defenders on the border is one step in the right direction; here are a few more suggestions:
1. Allow local officials to deport illegals. Right now, only the INS can deport illegals. Giving local officials that ability could increase the level of deportations and the fear of deportation among illegals.
2. Require proof of citizenship to attend public schools. Why should American taxpayers pay to educate some other country's citizens? If a family can't prove citizenshp, deport them.
3. Require proof of citizenship for treatment in public hospitals. Illegals have bankrupted hospitals across the country. That can't continue. If public funds are limited, they should go to Americans.
4. Wall off the border. Construct two walls, about 20 feet apart, with a mine field in between. On the Mexican side of the first wall write "Enter at your own risk" in Spanish.
5. Put a bounty on the head of each illegal. The government says it can't find all of the 8 million plus illegals in this country. Put a $20-$25 bounty on each one and see how fast those 8 million disappear!
6. Limit the amount of money that can be sent to Mexico. The money illegals send back to Mexico is Mexico's third largest source of national income. Cut the amount in half and Mexicans will lose alot of incentive to come here.
7. Change the citizenship rules. Right now, you are a citizen simply by being born here, regardless of the status of your parents. The new rule should be that you are a citizen ONLY if one of your parents is a citizen or if BOTH parents are legal residents. This will discourage women from having "anchor babies" who keep the whole family in America because no one wants to break up families.
8. Break up families. If there are American-born children in an illegal family, let one parent stay here with them, but send the other parent and children back to Mexico. This sounds so cruel to the bleeding heart types, but think about it. Americans break up American families all the time by sending criminals to jail. No jury refuses to convict someone simply because doing so will break up, impoverish, or otherwise harm the convict's family. So, to satisfy the demands of justice, American families can be torn apart, but illegal families are sacred?! Gimme a break!
The above are only a few ideas on how to stop the illegals' invasion of our country. America is a sovereign nation; that means something. American citizenship means something. No one should come here and take what America has to offer while staying loyal to a foreign land. Americans have the right, as a sovereign people, to require foreigners to come here legally--"legally" as defined by us--and to become American once they're here. The Minutemen know this and are acting on it. God bless them as they do.
For all those living under a rock, the Minutemen are citizen defenders who volunteer their time helping the Border Patrol(BP) catch illegal aliens trying to enter the U.S. along the U.S.-Mexico border. The group, officially called The Minuteman Project, was started in Arizona earlier this year by Jim Gilchrist and Chris Simcox. The men wanted to draw attention to the federal government's failure to protect America's borders as the Constitution requires. They also wanted to inform Americans about the danger posed by illegal aliens and the damage they're doing to Americans' lives and property as they cross the border. The group helped the BP along the Arizona-Mexico border in April and now they're in Texas! Hallelujah!
The Minuteman Project's volunteers will be in the Lone Star state for the month of October, helping the BP keep watch along the Texas-Mexico divide. The volunteers won't arrest anyone, but will notify the BP when illegals are spotted. It's thrilling not just that the Minutemen are in Texas, but that ordinary American citizens are brave enough to do the job their own government won't.
Why the federal government won't do its Constitutionally mandated duty is anyone's guess, but illegal "immigration" is out of control and SOMETHING has to be done about it. Having citizen defenders on the border is one step in the right direction; here are a few more suggestions:
1. Allow local officials to deport illegals. Right now, only the INS can deport illegals. Giving local officials that ability could increase the level of deportations and the fear of deportation among illegals.
2. Require proof of citizenship to attend public schools. Why should American taxpayers pay to educate some other country's citizens? If a family can't prove citizenshp, deport them.
3. Require proof of citizenship for treatment in public hospitals. Illegals have bankrupted hospitals across the country. That can't continue. If public funds are limited, they should go to Americans.
4. Wall off the border. Construct two walls, about 20 feet apart, with a mine field in between. On the Mexican side of the first wall write "Enter at your own risk" in Spanish.
5. Put a bounty on the head of each illegal. The government says it can't find all of the 8 million plus illegals in this country. Put a $20-$25 bounty on each one and see how fast those 8 million disappear!
6. Limit the amount of money that can be sent to Mexico. The money illegals send back to Mexico is Mexico's third largest source of national income. Cut the amount in half and Mexicans will lose alot of incentive to come here.
7. Change the citizenship rules. Right now, you are a citizen simply by being born here, regardless of the status of your parents. The new rule should be that you are a citizen ONLY if one of your parents is a citizen or if BOTH parents are legal residents. This will discourage women from having "anchor babies" who keep the whole family in America because no one wants to break up families.
8. Break up families. If there are American-born children in an illegal family, let one parent stay here with them, but send the other parent and children back to Mexico. This sounds so cruel to the bleeding heart types, but think about it. Americans break up American families all the time by sending criminals to jail. No jury refuses to convict someone simply because doing so will break up, impoverish, or otherwise harm the convict's family. So, to satisfy the demands of justice, American families can be torn apart, but illegal families are sacred?! Gimme a break!
The above are only a few ideas on how to stop the illegals' invasion of our country. America is a sovereign nation; that means something. American citizenship means something. No one should come here and take what America has to offer while staying loyal to a foreign land. Americans have the right, as a sovereign people, to require foreigners to come here legally--"legally" as defined by us--and to become American once they're here. The Minutemen know this and are acting on it. God bless them as they do.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
The Polygamy Question
In the emotional debate over gay marriage, traditionalists often base part of their objection to it on the fear that such a move will lead to the legalization of other non-traditional sexual unions, most notably polygamous unions. Of course, traditionalists have a very strong point. If society says yes to gay marriage, how can it say no to any other non-traditional marriage? However, traditionalists are on shaky ground in placing polygamy under the same immorality umbrella as homosexuality, and the veryBible they use to oppose homosexuality proves it.
Traditionalists are right when they say that the Bible has given Western civilization its definition of marriage. And they are right to defend that definition. What they don't realize is that their definition of "traditional" marriage isn't as Biblical as they think. To put it bluntly, the Bible does NOT oppose polygamy, and the defenders of Biblical marriage need to know that.
Most people just assume that the Bible condemns polygamy. They base their view of polygamy almost exclusively on media reports of abusive polygamous Mormons and conclude, rightly, that the Bible is against such abuse. But being against abusive polygamous marriage isn't the same thing as being against polygamy itself. There are abusive monogamous marriages, but opposing abuse in such marriages doesn't mean opposing monogamy. So, traditionalists and others who think that the Bible teaches that polygamy is immoral need to stop making media-based assumptions and read what the Bible acutally says.
And what does the Bible say?
Even a cursory glance at the Good Book reveals that polygamy was alright with God. Some of the Patriarchs, for instance, had multiple wives. Abraham had a wife, Sarah, and a concubine, Hagar. His grandson, Jacob, had two wives and two concubines. God didn't object to these arrangements. Later, Moses had two wives, the Midianite woman Zipporah, and a Cushite woman. In the Mosaic Law God had ample opportunity to condemn polygamy, but He didn't. He regulated polygamy instead, forbiding men to marry sisters or a woman and her daughter.
Perhaps the best proof that the God of the Bible accepts polygamy is David. We all know that David killed Goliath, but most people don't know that David was a lusty fellow. He had at least three wives before he became king of Israel, and alot more after he became king, all given to him by God! That's right. God gave David multiple wives. Nathan the prophet reminds David of that when he condemns him for murdering Uriah to take his wife, Bathsheba. So, if polygamy is a sin, as most traditionalists believe, then God commited sin by giving David many wives.
But what about Solomon? Didn't God condemn him for taking many wives? No. God condemned Solomon for taking many foreign wives, women who worshipped idols and led Solomon to worship them, too. It was idolatry, not polygamy, that drove God away from Solomon.
There are other examples of God accepting polygamy. Gideon, whom God used to defeat the Midianites in the time of the Judges, had 70 sons with his wives and concubines. The prophet Samuel, whose mother was Hannah, was born into a polygamous family. All of these men: Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Gideon, Samuel, David, Solomon, were considered righteous by God, even though they practiced polygamy or were born into it. And they weren't the only ones.
So, what are traditionalists to do? Almost their whole argument against gay marriage is that it violates the Biblical standard of marriage that America, and Western civilization, has always followed. But now we see that the Biblical standard of marriage includes polygamy. Traditionalists have some hard thinking to do. They have to admit that, when it comes to marriage, the "traditional values" they stand for are NOT the Bible's values. They then have to ask themselves if they're prepared to do the only honest thing: change their morality to conform to the Bible, or reject the Bible and cling to their tradition. If they really love God and His Word, the choice is obvious.
Traditionalists are right when they say that the Bible has given Western civilization its definition of marriage. And they are right to defend that definition. What they don't realize is that their definition of "traditional" marriage isn't as Biblical as they think. To put it bluntly, the Bible does NOT oppose polygamy, and the defenders of Biblical marriage need to know that.
Most people just assume that the Bible condemns polygamy. They base their view of polygamy almost exclusively on media reports of abusive polygamous Mormons and conclude, rightly, that the Bible is against such abuse. But being against abusive polygamous marriage isn't the same thing as being against polygamy itself. There are abusive monogamous marriages, but opposing abuse in such marriages doesn't mean opposing monogamy. So, traditionalists and others who think that the Bible teaches that polygamy is immoral need to stop making media-based assumptions and read what the Bible acutally says.
And what does the Bible say?
Even a cursory glance at the Good Book reveals that polygamy was alright with God. Some of the Patriarchs, for instance, had multiple wives. Abraham had a wife, Sarah, and a concubine, Hagar. His grandson, Jacob, had two wives and two concubines. God didn't object to these arrangements. Later, Moses had two wives, the Midianite woman Zipporah, and a Cushite woman. In the Mosaic Law God had ample opportunity to condemn polygamy, but He didn't. He regulated polygamy instead, forbiding men to marry sisters or a woman and her daughter.
Perhaps the best proof that the God of the Bible accepts polygamy is David. We all know that David killed Goliath, but most people don't know that David was a lusty fellow. He had at least three wives before he became king of Israel, and alot more after he became king, all given to him by God! That's right. God gave David multiple wives. Nathan the prophet reminds David of that when he condemns him for murdering Uriah to take his wife, Bathsheba. So, if polygamy is a sin, as most traditionalists believe, then God commited sin by giving David many wives.
But what about Solomon? Didn't God condemn him for taking many wives? No. God condemned Solomon for taking many foreign wives, women who worshipped idols and led Solomon to worship them, too. It was idolatry, not polygamy, that drove God away from Solomon.
There are other examples of God accepting polygamy. Gideon, whom God used to defeat the Midianites in the time of the Judges, had 70 sons with his wives and concubines. The prophet Samuel, whose mother was Hannah, was born into a polygamous family. All of these men: Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Gideon, Samuel, David, Solomon, were considered righteous by God, even though they practiced polygamy or were born into it. And they weren't the only ones.
So, what are traditionalists to do? Almost their whole argument against gay marriage is that it violates the Biblical standard of marriage that America, and Western civilization, has always followed. But now we see that the Biblical standard of marriage includes polygamy. Traditionalists have some hard thinking to do. They have to admit that, when it comes to marriage, the "traditional values" they stand for are NOT the Bible's values. They then have to ask themselves if they're prepared to do the only honest thing: change their morality to conform to the Bible, or reject the Bible and cling to their tradition. If they really love God and His Word, the choice is obvious.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Christians and PETA
Should Christians be involved with PETA? I hadn't thought much about that until I picked up the current issue of HM: The Hard Music Magazine(it's a magazine for the Christian hard music scene, for those not in the know).
HM has a new feature called Causes. In each issue, a cause is reviewed and readers are asked to find something good in the cause for 60 days, until the next issue comes out. This month's cause is PETA, and a couple of the bands--or band members-- featured in the issue are PETA supporters. Stretch Arm Strong and Emery are two of the bands that come to mind. I'm not sure how I feel about this.
I like animals. I'd never intentionally hurt one, and I don't think there's anything wrong with Christians caring about them. However, PETA carries the idea of caring about animals to a level I feel no Bible- believing Christian can accept. PETA believes that animals are equal to humans, that they have the same intrinsic value; you know, the whole " a rat is a pig is a boy" idea. Consequently, PETA people believe that harming or killing animals, for any reason, is as morally wrong as harming or killing people; and on the other side, NOT harming or killing animals is as compassionate as not harming or killing people. The cornerstone of PETA's philosophy is that kindness to animals is the epitome of morality and compassion. Bible-believing Christians simply can't believe this.
First, the Bible, in the very first chapters of its very first book, clearly establishes Man's superiority over the animals. Man, and Man alone, is created in God's image. Immediately afterward, he's given dominion over the animals. The God of the Bible is no animal rights activist. In fact, He is the first animal killer, killing a beast to make--gasp!--fur clothes for Adam and Eve after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden for eating the apple. It only gets worse for the Christian PETA fan.
While vegetarianism seems to have been the original plan for Man's nourishment, meat is allowed after the Flood. In fact, meat eating was probably going on before the Flood because animal sacrifice was going on before the Flood. Remember the rivarly between Cain and Abel? Cain was jealous because God wouldn't accept his vegetable offering, but did accept Abel's animal sacrifice. Surely, if pre-Flood people killed animals to sacrifice to God, it's logical to assume that they ate them, too. And God didn't have a single problem with it.
Thousands of years later, in the time of Moses, God still hadn't seen the PETA light. In the Mosaic Law, He forbid the Jews to eat certain animals, but not all animals, and He required animal sacrifice to cover their sins. Yes, the Bible does praise kindness to animals here and
there, but it's never the centerpiece of its morality. The Bible is concerned with Man's relationship to God, and with Man's humanity, or lack thereof, toward his fellow Man.
But that's the Old Testament, some Christians will argue. Surely the New Testament is more enlightened and loving. Not so. Whatever PETA activists claim Jesus said about eating meat and the like, the Bible shows He didn't mind it at all. In fact, to get the Jesus they want, PETA folks go to extrabiblical sources which have no authority for the orthodox Christian. The Bible is the Christian's only authority for what Jesus did, said, liked, and disliked; and the Bible never records Him saying or doing anything against eating meat, wearing fur, etc. Indeed, in one of His sermons, Jesus reminds His audience that if God will take care of the birds, He will also take care of them because they are worth more than the birds. Shocking! Jesus actually said people are worth more than animals?! Yep. Get over it.
Some people might have a hard time with this because they've bought into PETA's claim that you must believe in animal rights to be moral. Finding out that Jesus didn't believe in animal rights might seriously shake their faith in Him. These people need to understand that Jesus's morality--the whole Bible's morality--is above PETA's. Think about it. PETA asserts that it's morally wrong to kill animals, even if it's done painlessly, because all life is sacred; yet, how many PETA activists fought for the life of Terry Schiavo? If all life is sacred, shouldn't that "all" include disabled human beings? If it's wrong to painlessly kill animals, shouldn't it also be wrong to kill disabled people, even if it's done painlessly? And what about abortion? Unborn babies are living things. Shouldn't they be protected? PETA activists can't use the "they're not human life" argument to justify abortion because they don't think that life has to be human in order to have value. Their lives revolve around protecting nonhuman life. So, if unborn babies really are subhuman, that's all the more reason why every PETA activist should be pro-life.
Of course, most PETA activists aren't pro-life. In fact, humans are the only life form whose demise doesn't offend them. So Bible-believing Christians should think hard before subscribing to PETA's moral worldview. It's contradictory, it devalues human life in the name of uplifting animal life, and it doesn't make you a good person. Remember, Adolph Hitler was a vegetarian; Jesus wasn't.
HM has a new feature called Causes. In each issue, a cause is reviewed and readers are asked to find something good in the cause for 60 days, until the next issue comes out. This month's cause is PETA, and a couple of the bands--or band members-- featured in the issue are PETA supporters. Stretch Arm Strong and Emery are two of the bands that come to mind. I'm not sure how I feel about this.
I like animals. I'd never intentionally hurt one, and I don't think there's anything wrong with Christians caring about them. However, PETA carries the idea of caring about animals to a level I feel no Bible- believing Christian can accept. PETA believes that animals are equal to humans, that they have the same intrinsic value; you know, the whole " a rat is a pig is a boy" idea. Consequently, PETA people believe that harming or killing animals, for any reason, is as morally wrong as harming or killing people; and on the other side, NOT harming or killing animals is as compassionate as not harming or killing people. The cornerstone of PETA's philosophy is that kindness to animals is the epitome of morality and compassion. Bible-believing Christians simply can't believe this.
First, the Bible, in the very first chapters of its very first book, clearly establishes Man's superiority over the animals. Man, and Man alone, is created in God's image. Immediately afterward, he's given dominion over the animals. The God of the Bible is no animal rights activist. In fact, He is the first animal killer, killing a beast to make--gasp!--fur clothes for Adam and Eve after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden for eating the apple. It only gets worse for the Christian PETA fan.
While vegetarianism seems to have been the original plan for Man's nourishment, meat is allowed after the Flood. In fact, meat eating was probably going on before the Flood because animal sacrifice was going on before the Flood. Remember the rivarly between Cain and Abel? Cain was jealous because God wouldn't accept his vegetable offering, but did accept Abel's animal sacrifice. Surely, if pre-Flood people killed animals to sacrifice to God, it's logical to assume that they ate them, too. And God didn't have a single problem with it.
Thousands of years later, in the time of Moses, God still hadn't seen the PETA light. In the Mosaic Law, He forbid the Jews to eat certain animals, but not all animals, and He required animal sacrifice to cover their sins. Yes, the Bible does praise kindness to animals here and
there, but it's never the centerpiece of its morality. The Bible is concerned with Man's relationship to God, and with Man's humanity, or lack thereof, toward his fellow Man.
But that's the Old Testament, some Christians will argue. Surely the New Testament is more enlightened and loving. Not so. Whatever PETA activists claim Jesus said about eating meat and the like, the Bible shows He didn't mind it at all. In fact, to get the Jesus they want, PETA folks go to extrabiblical sources which have no authority for the orthodox Christian. The Bible is the Christian's only authority for what Jesus did, said, liked, and disliked; and the Bible never records Him saying or doing anything against eating meat, wearing fur, etc. Indeed, in one of His sermons, Jesus reminds His audience that if God will take care of the birds, He will also take care of them because they are worth more than the birds. Shocking! Jesus actually said people are worth more than animals?! Yep. Get over it.
Some people might have a hard time with this because they've bought into PETA's claim that you must believe in animal rights to be moral. Finding out that Jesus didn't believe in animal rights might seriously shake their faith in Him. These people need to understand that Jesus's morality--the whole Bible's morality--is above PETA's. Think about it. PETA asserts that it's morally wrong to kill animals, even if it's done painlessly, because all life is sacred; yet, how many PETA activists fought for the life of Terry Schiavo? If all life is sacred, shouldn't that "all" include disabled human beings? If it's wrong to painlessly kill animals, shouldn't it also be wrong to kill disabled people, even if it's done painlessly? And what about abortion? Unborn babies are living things. Shouldn't they be protected? PETA activists can't use the "they're not human life" argument to justify abortion because they don't think that life has to be human in order to have value. Their lives revolve around protecting nonhuman life. So, if unborn babies really are subhuman, that's all the more reason why every PETA activist should be pro-life.
Of course, most PETA activists aren't pro-life. In fact, humans are the only life form whose demise doesn't offend them. So Bible-believing Christians should think hard before subscribing to PETA's moral worldview. It's contradictory, it devalues human life in the name of uplifting animal life, and it doesn't make you a good person. Remember, Adolph Hitler was a vegetarian; Jesus wasn't.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
A Little Nepotism*
Hi friends! I just wanted to clue you in on my nephew's COOL website. It's got something for just about everybody. My nephew's a good artist and a great writer. Check out his drawings in the photo album, then read his hilarious article, "Lets All be Black". Browse through his other articles, too. He's got stuff to make everyone mad! Join in the forums, read his hate mail, and just have an all around good time cruising his site. Get owned, and be glad you did!
www.nessitopia.com
www.nessitopia.com
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Out For a While*
Hello friends. Well, it looks like I'm going to be out for a while. The bill's due on the phone and dsl and I only have enough to pay the minimum. I'll pay that Monday which'll keep my phone on, but I don't know if that'll be enough to turn my internet connection back on. I'll post when I can, from where I can(right now, I'm posting from the good ol' public library). Hopefully, things will be back up at my house Monday. Bye!
PoorGrrl
PoorGrrl
What Is a Liberal?
A liberal is someone who feels sorry for the Menendez brothers because they're orphans.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
A Kick Ass Website
Hey friends! I found this amazing website while surfing the net a couple of nights ago. When I looked around the site, it blew me away! It's run by two young guys which is great because I didn't think there were any young people out there who think like these guys do. All the young people you see on tv and in magazines are all liberal, like they've been subjected to mind control. It's great seeing two guys who aren't scared to think against the grain. When you go to the site, try out the store first; it's got some t-shirts and bumper stickers that liberals would ban if they could. Next, read the mission statement and the manifesto, then just have fun looking around. I'm sure you'll be as amazed as I was. Enjoy!
www.protestwarrior.com
www.protestwarrior.com
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
The Evil Eye?*
Have you ever wondered if you're cursed? I have, and I'm beginning to believe it's true.
As you know, I've had alot of bad luck lately. Actually, just one BIG bout of bad luck. I was fired from my job in August and have been struggling financially ever since. Well, I've been struggling for a long time, but I didn't start thinking about the curse thing until my best friend, Miss R., went to see a tarot reader.
Now I don't really like the idea of going to tarot readers or any other kind of psychics because the Bible commands us not to, but Miss R. really believes in it and even dabbles in it herself. I've acutally had her read my palm a couple of times just to see if there was really any power to it. I didn't see any spectacular results so I never did it again; plus, I felt guilty because of the Bible thing. But since I got fired I'm really staring to wonder if someone or something as it in for me.
See, when Miss R. came back from the tarot reader she didn't look so good. She looked scared. I thought the reader had told her that someone she loved was going to die or something and I asked Miss R. if that was the case. Miss R. said that the reader didn't say anything like that but that she did know things about Miss R. she shouldn't have known. One of the things the reader said was that Miss R. had the evil eye on her. Someone was very jealous of her and wanted her to fail; that was why she always had obstacles in her life and had to struggle for everything she had. When Miss R. said that a light bulb went on over my head. That's the way I've felt all my life!
All my life has been one long struggle: a struggle against obesity; a struggle against feelings of worthlessness; a struggle against constant lonliness even though I have loving friends; a struggle against fears of all kinds; a struggle against constant dissatisfaction; and, perhaps the worst one of all, a struggle against constant failure. No matter what I do, it never comes out right in the end. My last job is a prime example. I've been behind on my rent almost constantly since my Dad died. I was so looking forward to Friday, September 9, because that was pay day and I would finally be able to get caught up on the rent. It was going to be a happy day. I wouldn't have to live in fear and shame over my rent problem. Then bam! My boss fires me on August 22. No paycheck coming on September 9. So now I'm reduced to begging on yahoo boards and my blog for charity from total strangers, and even that's a bust. No one seems to care enough to help. But I have a feeling if I was someone else I would have charity out the yazoo, or better yet, I wouldn't have gotten fired in the first place. It's like the universe or God or someone has put a spiritual or psychic scarlet letter on me to keep good luck away. Which brings us back to the evil eye.
I don't know if I believe in it completely or not, but it does explain alot of things. Now that I think about it, my sister and I used to joke that our whole family was cursed because we're so dysfunctional. Maybe we were on to something and didn't know it. And some Christian preachers talk about generational curses, the idea that some habitual, unrepented, ancestral sin could cause a chain reaction of destructive behaviour that flows from generation to generation. And the Hindus, of course, have the famous doctrine of karma, which says that you pay in this life for the sins of previous lives(if that's true, I must've been a real asshole in my past lives).
Of course, all this speculation on the evil eye and curses may be just a way for me to try to cope with my financially and emotionally difficult situation. I think I'm just trying to find some ray of hope, but every hope of a solution to my problem gets dashed. I really thought that asking for money on the net would bring in at least a little money to tie me over, but it's been a total failure. I've tried payday loans, but I never qualify. I called Catholic Charities this morning, but the line stayed busy; and yesterday, I called a charity called Community Action Partners, and wouldn't you know it, they don't help with rent anymore! Hmmmm, I wonder if they stopped helping with rent just when I needed help? The evil eye again!
So, what am I going to do now? I really don't know. I would say I'd pray, but God has turned a deaf ear to me so far, so I don't expect any divine intervention. I feel totally helpless and hopeless. Maybe I'll try creative visualization, you know, mentally send out my needs to the universe and know they'll be met because the universe is naturally wired to give. Yeah, right.
As you know, I've had alot of bad luck lately. Actually, just one BIG bout of bad luck. I was fired from my job in August and have been struggling financially ever since. Well, I've been struggling for a long time, but I didn't start thinking about the curse thing until my best friend, Miss R., went to see a tarot reader.
Now I don't really like the idea of going to tarot readers or any other kind of psychics because the Bible commands us not to, but Miss R. really believes in it and even dabbles in it herself. I've acutally had her read my palm a couple of times just to see if there was really any power to it. I didn't see any spectacular results so I never did it again; plus, I felt guilty because of the Bible thing. But since I got fired I'm really staring to wonder if someone or something as it in for me.
See, when Miss R. came back from the tarot reader she didn't look so good. She looked scared. I thought the reader had told her that someone she loved was going to die or something and I asked Miss R. if that was the case. Miss R. said that the reader didn't say anything like that but that she did know things about Miss R. she shouldn't have known. One of the things the reader said was that Miss R. had the evil eye on her. Someone was very jealous of her and wanted her to fail; that was why she always had obstacles in her life and had to struggle for everything she had. When Miss R. said that a light bulb went on over my head. That's the way I've felt all my life!
All my life has been one long struggle: a struggle against obesity; a struggle against feelings of worthlessness; a struggle against constant lonliness even though I have loving friends; a struggle against fears of all kinds; a struggle against constant dissatisfaction; and, perhaps the worst one of all, a struggle against constant failure. No matter what I do, it never comes out right in the end. My last job is a prime example. I've been behind on my rent almost constantly since my Dad died. I was so looking forward to Friday, September 9, because that was pay day and I would finally be able to get caught up on the rent. It was going to be a happy day. I wouldn't have to live in fear and shame over my rent problem. Then bam! My boss fires me on August 22. No paycheck coming on September 9. So now I'm reduced to begging on yahoo boards and my blog for charity from total strangers, and even that's a bust. No one seems to care enough to help. But I have a feeling if I was someone else I would have charity out the yazoo, or better yet, I wouldn't have gotten fired in the first place. It's like the universe or God or someone has put a spiritual or psychic scarlet letter on me to keep good luck away. Which brings us back to the evil eye.
I don't know if I believe in it completely or not, but it does explain alot of things. Now that I think about it, my sister and I used to joke that our whole family was cursed because we're so dysfunctional. Maybe we were on to something and didn't know it. And some Christian preachers talk about generational curses, the idea that some habitual, unrepented, ancestral sin could cause a chain reaction of destructive behaviour that flows from generation to generation. And the Hindus, of course, have the famous doctrine of karma, which says that you pay in this life for the sins of previous lives(if that's true, I must've been a real asshole in my past lives).
Of course, all this speculation on the evil eye and curses may be just a way for me to try to cope with my financially and emotionally difficult situation. I think I'm just trying to find some ray of hope, but every hope of a solution to my problem gets dashed. I really thought that asking for money on the net would bring in at least a little money to tie me over, but it's been a total failure. I've tried payday loans, but I never qualify. I called Catholic Charities this morning, but the line stayed busy; and yesterday, I called a charity called Community Action Partners, and wouldn't you know it, they don't help with rent anymore! Hmmmm, I wonder if they stopped helping with rent just when I needed help? The evil eye again!
So, what am I going to do now? I really don't know. I would say I'd pray, but God has turned a deaf ear to me so far, so I don't expect any divine intervention. I feel totally helpless and hopeless. Maybe I'll try creative visualization, you know, mentally send out my needs to the universe and know they'll be met because the universe is naturally wired to give. Yeah, right.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
A Little Something Good*
I've been feeling really down lately. As you know, I was fired from my job and I'm in danger of losing my apartment. I have a page on savemesites.com, which is a site for people to ask for help, but no one as helped me, except one person who donated $1. I've asked for help from the blogosphere, but no one's responded from there, either. I was beginning to think that there were no kind people out there in the world, then two things happened: hurricane Katrina, and car keys.
Hurricane Katrina, as devastating as it was, showed that most people really are good-hearted and will help if they realize that there's a real disaster. Last I heard, billions, yes, billions, of dollars had been donated by the American people to help the victims of that terrible storm. Texas has taken in the lion's share of Katrina refugees, and everywhere I go I see churches, apartment complexes, businesses, you name it, all offering their services to the evacuees. It's so heartwarming. The only fly in the ointment was that none of that goodwill was benefitting me. I know, that's a very selfish thought; but as desperate as I am, and as long as I've been asking for help and getting ignored, I have to admit that I'd been feeling rather jealous of the Katrina victims. I thought, is the only way to get help from people is to lose everything but the shirt off your back? What about people who just need a little help to keep from getting evicted from their home before they can find a job or get the paycheck from the job they already have? I didn't find an answer to that problem, but I did get a little good fortune myself.
Last Wednesday, I locked my keys in my car in front of my friend's antique store where I work. I was heartsick. I had just bought lunch and was looking forward to munching my food while I worked in the store and listented to talk radio. I had the image clearly in my mind. Then that happened. There I was: keys in the car, no way to get into the store, no cell phone to call for help, and no money to afford a locksmith. I felt like crying. I cursed God. It seemed like just a little thing, but with everything else going wrong in my life, I truly didn't need this!
I decided to ask the store owner next door, Marci, if I could use her phone. Well, she only had a cell phone, and at first it wouldn't work. Then, when it started working, she called a locksmith and he wanted $35 to open the door. I didn't have $35! And neither did Marci! What the hell was I going to do? Then Marci asked her helper, Jeff, to see if he could get the door opened with a coat hanger. So Jeff went over and started working on my car. Then, out of the blue, a Hispanic boy and his girlfriend pulled into the parking lot and asked what was wrong. These people were total strangers, and they stopped to help me! The boy got out of his truck and starting helping Jeff to open my car. They worked for an hour--the boy's truck running the whole time--then the boy managed to get my keys with the coat hanger and pulled them through the opening he and Jeff had made by pulling the car window back a bit. I was elated! My keys were out, and I didn't have to pay a dime!(I did give Jeff and the Hispanic boy $5 a piece for their trouble).
After the ordeal was all over, and I was able to get into the store and eat my now-cold lunch, I started thinking. Marci didn't have to call the locksmith for me. Jeff didn't have to help me. The Hispanic boy didn't have to help me. All of them helped me because they wanted to be kind people. They wanted to be kind to me. Maybe I wasn't cursed, as I often suspected. Maybe there was some good luck for me in this world after all. I just hope I can find more of it.
(The asterisk by the title means that this is a post dealing only with my personal issues. From now on, that's how I'm going to distinguish personal posts from social commentary.)
Hurricane Katrina, as devastating as it was, showed that most people really are good-hearted and will help if they realize that there's a real disaster. Last I heard, billions, yes, billions, of dollars had been donated by the American people to help the victims of that terrible storm. Texas has taken in the lion's share of Katrina refugees, and everywhere I go I see churches, apartment complexes, businesses, you name it, all offering their services to the evacuees. It's so heartwarming. The only fly in the ointment was that none of that goodwill was benefitting me. I know, that's a very selfish thought; but as desperate as I am, and as long as I've been asking for help and getting ignored, I have to admit that I'd been feeling rather jealous of the Katrina victims. I thought, is the only way to get help from people is to lose everything but the shirt off your back? What about people who just need a little help to keep from getting evicted from their home before they can find a job or get the paycheck from the job they already have? I didn't find an answer to that problem, but I did get a little good fortune myself.
Last Wednesday, I locked my keys in my car in front of my friend's antique store where I work. I was heartsick. I had just bought lunch and was looking forward to munching my food while I worked in the store and listented to talk radio. I had the image clearly in my mind. Then that happened. There I was: keys in the car, no way to get into the store, no cell phone to call for help, and no money to afford a locksmith. I felt like crying. I cursed God. It seemed like just a little thing, but with everything else going wrong in my life, I truly didn't need this!
I decided to ask the store owner next door, Marci, if I could use her phone. Well, she only had a cell phone, and at first it wouldn't work. Then, when it started working, she called a locksmith and he wanted $35 to open the door. I didn't have $35! And neither did Marci! What the hell was I going to do? Then Marci asked her helper, Jeff, to see if he could get the door opened with a coat hanger. So Jeff went over and started working on my car. Then, out of the blue, a Hispanic boy and his girlfriend pulled into the parking lot and asked what was wrong. These people were total strangers, and they stopped to help me! The boy got out of his truck and starting helping Jeff to open my car. They worked for an hour--the boy's truck running the whole time--then the boy managed to get my keys with the coat hanger and pulled them through the opening he and Jeff had made by pulling the car window back a bit. I was elated! My keys were out, and I didn't have to pay a dime!(I did give Jeff and the Hispanic boy $5 a piece for their trouble).
After the ordeal was all over, and I was able to get into the store and eat my now-cold lunch, I started thinking. Marci didn't have to call the locksmith for me. Jeff didn't have to help me. The Hispanic boy didn't have to help me. All of them helped me because they wanted to be kind people. They wanted to be kind to me. Maybe I wasn't cursed, as I often suspected. Maybe there was some good luck for me in this world after all. I just hope I can find more of it.
(The asterisk by the title means that this is a post dealing only with my personal issues. From now on, that's how I'm going to distinguish personal posts from social commentary.)
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Some More Hotties
Hello people! Have you been wondering where I was? Well, since I'm poor and no one has donated to my savemesites.com page, I couldn't pay for my phone and dsl connection. Actually, I did make a $60 payment to the phone company but they didnt' post it to my account in time to keep some of my service from being suspended. I called the phone company Wednesday and told them that I had made that $60 payment, and that apparently worked, because my internet access is back on. Yippee! I'm not going to write a long post because it's getting late and I have to go to work in the morning. I'm just going to post a shorty so my faithful readers will have something new to read until I get back to in-depth blogging. Here are a few hotties who didn't make my top ten list. I like them all; maybe I'll revise my top ten list and add some of these dudes to it. Enjoy!
Some More Hotties
Leland Chapman(Puppy Dog!)
Jared Leto(Weird but wonderful!)
Gavin Rossdale(Move over Gwen!)
Robert Mitchum(d., Oldie but goodie!)
Kirk Douglas(Another oldie but goodie!)
Jackie Chan(Yes, Jackie Chan)
Ryan from The O.C.(Don't know his real name, just know his bod!)
That's all, folks!
Good Night!
Some More Hotties
Leland Chapman(Puppy Dog!)
Jared Leto(Weird but wonderful!)
Gavin Rossdale(Move over Gwen!)
Robert Mitchum(d., Oldie but goodie!)
Kirk Douglas(Another oldie but goodie!)
Jackie Chan(Yes, Jackie Chan)
Ryan from The O.C.(Don't know his real name, just know his bod!)
That's all, folks!
Good Night!
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