I was Meant to be an Outlaw.

Sometimes, there is a mixup along the way. Accidents occur. People get lost. Shit happens. For 20+ years now, I've been convinced that I am the unfortunate victim of  a major cosmic misdirection. Because I was meant to be an Outlaw.

Since the very first moment of meeting my BFF 24 years ago, we've had a sibling relationship. And the same feeling continued when meeting her family. It was instantly comfortable and familiar. There was a sense of well-being and home. It just felt right.

The Outlaws genuinely love each other. They communicate with each other all the time. They genuinely crave each other's presence. When assembled together in one place, it is possible to actually feel their glow of affection for each other. It's really quite remarkable.

And here's what I really, really love about them. They don't censor themselves. They say what they feel, when they feel it, and they do it without any hypocrisy or faked piety. They aren't judgmental, they don't try to force a belief system on anyone else, and they accept everyone for who they are. And they take having fun seriously! That is all truly remarkable, especially in the South.

I got to spend two days with the whole family last weekend as they celebrated Joe's 70th birthday. And when it came time to say goodbye, I was painfully reminded once again......I was meant to be an Outlaw.

Watching, Wondering, & Walking.

I may have survived the day of turning 40, but I have to say that Friday made me question surviving the reality of it. We received our FOURTH high school graduation invitation, and a Beastie Boy died from cancer at 47. Two of the kids graduating are part of our tightest inner circle, and we've literally watched them grow up from elementary school. They were born the same year as Alexandrea. If Alexandrea had been born only two months earlier, she would be graduating this month as well. Fortunately, we've got another year. And while I wasn't a huge Beastie Boys fan, they are a part of the cultural fabric of my life. I well remember buying the Licence to Ill cassette tape at the mall record store in Mobile way back in 1986. "Sabotage" & "Intergalactic"are regular selections in my iTunes. The fact that one is now dead from natural causes is sobering development. More milestones reminding me of just how old 40 really is. Because in my mind, I just sent out graduation invitations myself not very long ago at all.

I started my daily walking again a couple of weeks ago. So far, so good. I'm not even specifically working toward weight loss, at least not yet. I'm just doing it because of the mountain of evidence that shows that 30 minutes a few times a week works magic with blood pressure, blood sugar, mental function, etc. At 40, it's really time to get serious about those things. I have a very strong family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, and sky-high cholesterol. My statin has totally fixed the cholesterol problem, and I've decided that if walking can let me drop my high blood pressure med and ward off diabetes, then it's just got to become a nonnegotiable piece of my day.

We started Breaking Bad & Mad Men this past week. Yes, I know that we are late to the party again with both, but the great part is that we have a huge library of shows to watch without all those months of waiting between seasons! Sadly, we finished United States of Tara, which was cancelled after only three seasons. It was brilliant, and we will miss it. Fortunately, even though the final episode wasn't exactly written as a series finale, it worked fine in that capacity anyway.

Did anyone else happen to see this story about a minister who became an atheist over time and then had to out herself and leave her church? It's fascinating! It's the first in a serious about losing faith that NPR is going to do. I'm excited to see what else they come up with. I can certainly relate to these folks these days.

As it turns out, that horrendous ass of a man, Cardinal Law, formerly of Boston, is most likely behind the Vatican bullshit with the American nuns. Now, this is a man who is so guilty of crimes when it comes to the sex scandal of the American church from the last couple of decades that the Vatican literally snuck him to Rome very suddenly a decade ago so he could avoid any further subpoenas in the matter. He is an embarrassment, and the fact that Pope John Paul 2 harbored him and gave him even more oversight there in Rome is a scandal in & of itself. And now that we find that he is spending his old age influencing the Vatican to go after the nuns that he has a personal grudge against is just another in a long lines of revelations that lessen the Catholic Church to point of irrelevancy. Their credibility is gone. Over. A memory.

This was a very disappointing article demonstrating, as the title suggests, that the prudes are winning. Americans and their fear of facts just boggles my mind.

As a proud liberal, I was thrilled with this commentary on Mitt Romney's quip about "Even Jimmy Carter would have launched the mission that killed Osama." What in ignorant ass he is.

Since Lorraine & I strongly feel that The West Wing was at least in the top three, and quite possibly the best television show ever made, we were greatly amused by this mini-reunion video released last week promoting exercise.

I'm really glad that people are talking and writing about how messed up our government system has become because of politics, but I think that I should skip this book if I really want to keep my blood pressure down.

Now, if you want to be stunned, disgusted, and infuriated, just take a look at this article which talks about how the bulk of our weather satellites are near the end of their life, and there are no replacements even scheduled for manufacture, much less launch. How, exactly, does this country allow such a thing to occur? I was aware of the discussion about this a few years ago, but I really believed that a solution was being created back then. But, no. So, even with all of our technology, we are about to be blind to the weather systems coming toward us. Unbelievable.

We've enjoyed the recent 4-episode series America Revealed on PBS. You can watch them all online, but I was especially informed by episode four which focuses on American manufacturing. There are a whole lot of lies that are told every day and taken as truth. One of the big ones is that America doesn't make anything anymore. This episode will surprise you with the truth. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could, as a people, just deal with actual fact and take appropriate steps based on truth?

Finally, I was amused by this story on denim jeans from this morning's edition of CBS Sunday Morning. Personally, I never wear jeans, and haven't for years. I pretty much hate them, and any other version of pants. But apparently I am very much in the minority.

Facts are Facts.

* I know that there is about as much chance that all of you will watch this video as there is that I will vote for a Republican, but I'm including it here with a simple plea anyway. I love Bill Moyers. He is the epitome of what an erudite commentator on American society should be. Every time that he "retires" again, I lament the loss of his voice. But, he always comes back after a year or two because he just can't stay away from the discussion. This episode is a particularly insightful into the state of our media, politics, and what passes as fact these days. And this sort of commentary is exactly why we need PBS & NPR, and why the people in our country who make up their own facts to fit their personal viewpoint hate them so much.



* All Things Considered had an excellent story on yesterday about the death of facts in our society. Stunningly sad, but undeniably true.



* The Vatican's attack on the U.S. nuns landed with quite a thud, and has resulted in substantial backlash and yet another public relations disaster for the boys club that is the Catholic Church. This response is by the well-known writer Garry Wills, and I loved it. And this one is excellent as well, and the author isn't even Catholic. (I'm so done with all the religious nonsense that goes on every day, oppressing so many people around the world, that I really, really am going to try to stop commenting on it because I'm becoming more and more bitter just about every day and I don't think that I should actually write what I feel these days.)

* The headline of this article from the Washington Post says: "Let's just say it: The Republicans are the problem." Well, I've said that for years! Still, it's an excellent overview of what has happened in recent years to bring us to this era of such open warfare in politics and gridlock when it comes to doing anything to actually improve the country. (And I would love to stop talking about politics, as it just raises my blood pressure, but it's too important and it isn't going to go away. I can stop paying any attention to religious bullshit, just like I walked away from church in protest. But I can't stop voting, and neither can you.)

No matter how wonderful you may believe living so close to the Alabama & northern Florida beaches might be, you're not even close!

This blue heron really wasn't the least bit interested in people walking by.

As a matter of fact, it gave me the same stare treatment that I was giving it.

Things I'm Thinking About.

Last week, for a few glorious hours, during one brief afternoon, I achieved OCD nirvana. The house, the yard, the garage, both vehicles, and even the laundry (down to all the bedding, blankets & towels!) were properly clearned, groomed, and/or maintained. And then other people arrived and the moment was gone. Still, it was a moment that only comes once every year or so, and I enjoyed it very much.


This is an exceptionally well-written article describing the country's incessant need for a boogeyman. 


Do you get the feeling that the Catholic Church has now decided that shooting itself in the feet isn't enough, and is now choosing to blow off it's own kneecaps as well? Going after the women religious is beyond reprehensible. Never mind a desperate priest shortage, now they are going to destroy the other support leg as well. As if the female orders weren't already in a frightening and rapid state of decline. There is no understanding of the present, much less the future, whatsoever in the Vatican. The insane focus on orthodoxy & conformity is made even more chilling by the fact that the Pope comes from personal experience with Nazi Germany, don't you think? He sure as hell is insistent that there is only ONE WAY TO THINK & BELIEVE and that is HIS WAY. Sound familiar?


There was a wonderful commentary on the Vatican attack on the nuns in the Chicago newspaper.


But Catholics, both priests & parishioners, have reached their breaking point and are now in a mutiny against their out of control bishops. Praise be unto God! Here's another example that warms my heart.


Finally, to end the religious section for today, here are two articles talking about how Christian evangelicals have been historically liberal, and in plenty of places, still are. The hijacking of Christianity by the right wing still amazes me, and demonstrates just how gullible most people really are.


Here's a fascinating article on the science of near death experiences. I've already added the book that this article is based on to my Amazon cart.


Speaking of books, this article on the realities of cleanliness and microorganisms caused me to add its source book to the cart as well.


I heard this story a few weeks ago on All Things Considered, and forgot to post it here. It's a really sad commentary on where we are as a country.

The pitcher plants are beautiful right now, and if it would rain a little bit more, they would be even more spectacular. There are a few more photos over on my Southern Signpost blog. It's been four months since I last posted over there. I see signs all the time that I mean to photograph, and then forget or don't have the camera or can't easily make time to stop for. I'm really going to try to stop ignoring that blog. Really. I mean it this time.

Sinking In.

So, forty arrived, and I lived to talk about it. But here's the thing. It's not just the number or the day of turning 40 that is the problem. I'm a 'big picture' sort of person. I understand the whole "it's just another day" thing and the "it's just a number" idea. But, it's not. It's a measurement. It's a measurement of how much time we've already had, and a measurement of what we've got left. We, as a species, have the blessing/curse of knowing that our time is finite. And we know what the average lifespan will be. As a white male born in 1972, my life expectancy on my birth day was 68.3 years. (These days, it's all the way up to 76.5 for new arrivals.) Yes, I have a very good genetic precedent, as all of my grand-parents lived to 80 or higher. And all of their children, four on each side, are still alive and doing just fine as they transit their 60s and enter their 70s. And, yes, modern medicine has certainly extended my life expectancy as well. But the fact remains that forty signifies the half-way point of what will most likely be my useful and active years. The years after 80, for those who actually achieve them, are fraught with bumps & dangers, mostly from the fact that our bodies are wearing out and becoming fragile. Disease, infirmity, bone fragility, dementia, etc, etc., all lie beyond a certain point. The probable loss of our spouse presents a whole other reality in those years. The financial realities of reaching a certain age will also present issues for many of us and our families as well. In short, our time as productive and independent individuals has an expiration date. Many, if not most, of us choose to pretend otherwise because the reality is too scary and difficult to accept. But it's the truth. And as a planner who always looks ahead, forty is a giant flashing arrow of a milestone that screams loudly that the journey of life has reached a crucial juncture and demands of us to realize that it is time to evaluate the past and take a serious and reality-based look at the future. Twenty years ago, I was working at Disney and spent my 20th birthday at Busch Gardens. Now, suddenly I'm twice that age, and could have relived the entire first 20 years again. I turned 30 just a few days ago, seemingly, and then moved to Fairhope. Now, we've been here for 10 years already. I'm only a year away from the first child leaving the nest and beginning her own journey. I know that each year passes more quickly than the last, and that continuously mutating experience of time will only make the next 40 a much faster experience than the first 40. And standing here looking back, that first 40 went by shockingly quickly! So, no, there is no significant difference in who I am today and who I was a week ago when I was still in my 30s. But the unavoidable truth for all of us is that 40 really does mean that we are old, and that for some us, the time in the rear view mirror is greater than the time that lies in front of us. I don't fall for the typical American belief & self-delusion that we can be eternally young, that each new decade is somehow the "new previous decade!" I recognize our mortality and the incessant march toward our own end. And now we really have to decide how we want to spend that time and not wake up after 20 years of pretending otherwise through basic denial, plastic surgery, hair dye, and all the other tools available to us to mask the aging process from both the world and our own consciousness and be panic-stricken that 60 suddenly has us in its grasp. I'm not so much frightened of the number. But I'm painfully aware of what the number means for marking the past, present, & future. There are some great years still ahead. But, we are at the half-way point. It is most assuredly the marker of mid-life.


* Here's a follow-up article on the phenomenon of young people driving so much less than a generation ago. I find this fascinating. I love that a big part of this has to do with the fact that the era of urban sprawl and endless suburbs is rapidly coming to an end. Our kids have figured out that it's a crazy way to live, with commutes that are expensive, time-consuming ordeals and houses that are ridiculously large and unnecessary. The generation behind mine is realizing that the planet can't sustain such egregious behavior, and that living in urban population centers with a more densely packed population offers lots of benefits. And one of the benefits of real urban living is the ability to ditch the hassle & expense of owning a personal vehicle. Every time that I am in a large city with a well-functioning public transit system (Atlanta, Chicago, etc), I am envious of the people who get to utilize that system, saving both personal finances and the environment.


* Now, here's a use for a Bundt pan that I would have never considered. Now, I'm going to have to make it, even though I don't eat eggs.


* And speaking of recipes, here's one for lemon bars that I hope to try immediately. I love a good lemon bar, and have a whole bunch of recipes, but this one promises to approach perfection. And then I'm going to do this orange version from Paula.

Having finished my one & only Irish Wake at McGuire's. They are shockingly potent, and I refused to risk my USDA Prime New York strip steak with an additional one. Too much alcohol, combined with my propensity toward motion sickness and the hour drive back home would have surely caused my steak to be revisited.

My birthday present from my 14 year old. She bought it in Jamaica a couple of weeks ago. If you can't tell, it's a glass pipe for smoking things other than tobacco. I'm not sure if being gifted with drug paraphenalia by my daughter is a sign that I've really failed or totally succeeded in parenting. But I'm leaning toward succeeding. However, I can say with certainty that it will be an art piece and not a functional piece. I'm all for marijuana legalization and use, but I really can't stand the taste of smoking the stuff. But edibles would be a very different story.....

40.

* I started wondering a while back about well-known people who died before they reached forty. Here are a few of them:

Princess Diana, 36
Marilyn Monroe, 36
Bob Marley, 36
Karen Carpenter, 32
Jesus, 33
MLK Jr., 39
Sam Kinnison, 38
JFK Jr., 38
Michael Hutchence, 37
Buddy Holly, 22
James Dean, 24
Janis Joplin, 27
Kurt Cobain, 27
Patsy Cline, 30
W.A. Mozart, 35
Heath Ledger, 28
George Gershwin, 38
Jim Morrison, 27
John Belushi, 33
John Keats, 25
Alexander the Great, 32
Vincent Van Gogh, 37
Amelia Earheat, 39 (when disappeared)
Anne Frank, 15
Jimi Hendrix, 27
Andy Gibb, 30 

* I'm wondering if I am the only one experiencing a rapid decline in the "social" part of social media. I rarely see an actual friend, a person that I know, post anything on Facebook any more. My feed stays full of things from news sites & businesses. But the flow of actual personal information seems to be spiraling the drain. And as far as I can tell, I'm the only one who still even pretends to keep an updated blog. So, really, I want to know. Is the age of social media already coming to an end? (This is a discussion question, which actually requires you to be social in that you go down to the bottom of the post, click "comment" and actually write a response. Scary, I know. But do it anyway.) {Five minutes after I wrote this, I ran across this article on the CNN headlines, asking "When did Facebook become so uncool?"}


* There are a couple of songs that I am currently addicted to that are NOT playing on Top 40 radio. The first is Wasted Word by Kris Delmhorst. The other is Sweet Ride by Courtney Jaye. I dare you to go listen to them and then NOT buy them. Also, I just took the time last night to check out the cover album of U2's Achtung Baby which came out at the end of last year as part of the 20th anniversary of the album and is charity benefit. I bought it before I even finished the samples. It is worth more than the $7.99 price. Every cover version is brilliant! The Damien Rice version of One is stunning, but I'm a sucker for both Damien Rice AND One. And the Depeche Mode version of So Cruel surpasses the original.


* I saw this story yesterday about the demographics of who has a drivers license and when they get it. It's fascinating stuff. Alexandrea is 17.5, and still doesn't have hers, but that is primarily because she doesn't need one while attending ASMS.

I went down to the bay for sunset, as it was the final one of my 30s. I found it to be exceedingly appropriate that the sun was obscured, and sinking into a dark cloud. Yep, that pretty much sums up 40.

Five cypress sisters. All much older than 40.

So, that's the last post before 40 officially arrives in a few hours. It feels a lot like standing on the receiving end of a firing line. I actually had a panic attack on the way to get the sunset photo. Tomorrow really may end up being a day requiring tequila and sublingual Xanax. For all of you who have crossed this milestone already in the past few months and did it with seeming nonchalance.......I call bullshit.

Scenes From a Cruise.

The birthday cake that Shannon & her family had waiting for me, along with 4 cocktail certificates!

Cindy, enjoying the fact that there is no line for the waterside on port days.

P&C in Montego Bay.

Alice, in a post-Jamaican afternoon coma. The full circumstances surrounding this day shall remain sealed.

Isabelle, who actually behaved very well on the trip.

Post-dinner towel animal, as part of turn-down service.

Donya Sue, rocking cruise mode for all it's worth.

Deck 12 starboard, our personal gathering space.

The doctor, taking her medicine.

With Lori's mom, a first-timer.

Pre-dinner dancing in the lobby.

Chocolate martini!

All the adults except Lori's mom, who was a bit under the weather this particular evening.

Sad faces, minutes before disembarking.

Way Down to Kokomo.....

Before I start on the cruise, this is a simply brilliant article on the current crisis in Christianity. It's a must-read for anyone interested in the state of modern U.S. religion.

Now, on to the trip...... Our group of 15 left New Orleans on the Carnival Conquest on the March 25 and returned on April 1. While adventuring through the Caribbean, we stopped at Montego Bay, Jamaica; George Town on Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico. We had perfect weather for the entire week, no rain, no missed ports, and calm seas.

Just after boarding, with our best Fairhope friends, Cindy & Pam.

On the first sea day, Donya discovered that the bar service staff would bring her an entire BUCKET (A Bucket?!) of beer. Alternating with Long Island Iced Teas, she quickly relaxed into a proper cruise mode.

When we woke up in Jamaica, I was quite surprised by the mountains. It was beautiful from the ship, but we had no desire to go ashore. Isabelle did go to the shopping area directly beside the ship and found several gifts for her people, primarily her BF.

Sitting in the middle of Montego Bay. Really gorgeous!

One of the very few photos with me in it.

Jennie & Lori, as usual putting up a strong effort to win the "Cutest Lesbians in the World" award.

A fun little boat in the harbor at Grand Cayman. Lorraine & Isabelle did go ashore in George Town with the single-minded focus of buying a huge amount of rum at BlackBeard's. We have loved their exclusive coconut rum for several years, and brought home a case. Sadly, one bottle didn't survive the trip and soaked a suitcase of clean clothes. We discovered another of their exclusive lines on this trip, Big Black Dick. Now, it's worth just having a bottle on hand for conversation, and that was my plan. However, the staff there was handing out samples, and it turned out to be absolutely delicious. So, two bottles of the white chocolate and two bottles of the dark chocolate also were procured. If you are in Grand Cayman, you really have to get some of these products, as they are not exported. Grand Cayman is finally preparing to build a proper cruise pier in the next couple of years, so when we eventually return, I will get to go ashore as well. I didn't want to risk sea sickness with the tiny little tenders that everyone is forced to use currently.

I love Cozumel. I can't imagine who wouldn't. It's beautiful, and the water around the island is the most perfectly Caribbean blue of any of the ports that we visited. The foliage there is stunning, and has many tropical varieties that I've only seen there on the island. We were at the Puerto Maya pier, which is sort of a Disney-fied version of Mexico. You can take a cab into town, which is about a five minute drive, but everything that is available in town is now available at this pier. Last time we were there, we were at the pier directly in the middle of downtown, but Lorraine really enjoyed the feel of the Puerto Maya area.

Guacamole & Margarita.....IN MEXICO!

There were six ships in port in Cozumel that day. Which is pretty much capacity. The Puerto Maya pier is about to expand and will be able to handle four ships at a time instead of the current two. On our day, in addition to our ship, there was one from Holland America, two from Royal Caribbean, and two from Norwegian.

The wonderful little palm tree covered beach area available to all visitors. It's really post-card perfect.

My big ass returning to the ship after some very successful shopping. Lorraine got some really stunning fresh-water pearls, which was the highlight of the purchases.

Joe & Alice, at dinner.

All of us on deck waiting to disembark on the last morning. Not a great photo, but we let a stranger take it, and he didn't know to let the autofocus do it's job properly before releasing the shutter.

The only time I got a little seasick was a couple of hours after leaving Cozumel. The currents where the Caribbean meet the Gulf of Mexico caused some pretty good motion on the ship, even though the seas looked pretty calm. I missed dinner that night, and went to sleep early, but mercifully never had to endure a spell of vomiting. We also didn't go crazy with the food on this trip. I never even got around to eating at the Mongolian grill, the sandwich station, or even the 24-hour ice cream. But what we did eat was delicious. We went to the dining room for breakfast once, which was a new experience. And we also went to lunch in the dining room a couple of times, which I highly recommend now. It's not an option on port days, so you really have to take advantage of the availability on the three sea days. The menu is excellent, and the dining room is very uncrowded for lunch. It was a remarkably relaxing trip, and had Benjamin not refused to attend most of the sessions at Camp Carnival, it would have been just about perfect. Now, I'm ready to start planning the next one, as are the rest of the group. The three first-timers loved the experience, and our friends who had cruised previously on Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Princess loved their Carnival experience as well.

Spring Has Sprung.

Yeah, it's been two weeks again. Last week was much more busy than usual, and I just didn't get around to sharing my thoughts. My deepest apologies to those two or three people who still visit to see what I will bitch about next.


I'm horrified by the story of the soldier who killed all those people in Afghanistan. It is yet another in a long line of examples of the disservice that we have done to our volunteer military over the last decade of war. We have pushed them far beyond their limits, and taken advantage of their patriotism in ways that are beyond shameful. This poor guy had been deployed to Iraq several times, and even suffered a traumatic head injury. Did we discharge him with our thanks and our guarantee of taking care of him? Well, hell no. Somebody sent him to fucking Afghanistan for yet another deployment. Whoever is making these sorts of decisions in the Pentagon needs to be immediately deployed to the worst place in Afghanistan, and left there to rot. {UPDATE: Just after I posted, this story went up showing just how wildly inappropriately the mental health care providers have behaved on this guy's base.}


Spring has come & gone here already. Did I mention that the first dogwood blooms opened on Ash Wednesday? That's ridiculous. The wisteria is in full bloom right now, and then we will be all done with spring flowers. Before we even get to April. And it's in the mid-80s every day, and has been for over a week. Now, come tell me all about how climate change is a lie.


The annual Arts Festival was last weekend. I look forward to it every year. But this year was a disappointment. The art, which is chosen by a new jury each year, was far below the level that it was just a few years ago. Slowly but surely, the mix has been shifted more toward the functional craft rather than upscale decorative art. I am less than happy. And, my favorite artist wasn't here this year. The real highlight of the weekend was the arrival of Jennifer for a three-day visit. It had been almost a year since her last time here. That, quite simply, is unacceptable. However, I have been assured that a new plan will be put in place that will strive for quarterly visits.


Did anyone else see that the old Pacific Princess, known to those of us who are children of the 70s as the Love Boat, is being scrapped? What a sad end to a ship that brought about an entire industry of modern cruising.

News stories of the past two weeks that are worth reading:

Women are waking up to the obvious truth that the Republicans just aren't that into them.

That old fool who convinced a few gullible folks last year that the end of the world was arriving has had to admit that he was not only wrong with the date, but wrong to suggest a date. It's about time. Those poor idiots sold & spent everything that they had. Whoops. Religious nonsense strikes again.

The Pope has gotten his ancient panties into a huge wad over gay marriage. Yeah, the Catholic bishops have SOOOO much moral authority to cast about these days...... Can you say "religious nonsense?"

Yet another example of how far the Catholic Church has fallen away from social justice practices that were so important just a decade ago.

Sadly, this isn't the first time in recent weeks that I've seen the Catholic bishops referred to as the "Pharisees of our time." Even more sadly, that is an utterly true statement.

Here is an excellent commentary on how the Church has lost its way by getting involved in politics.

If there was any sliver of doubt left that the Catholic leadership had entered into a serious mental disorder, here's the final evidence.

Sorry for all the Catholic articles. But with 2 of the 3 candidates still running for the GOP nomination (I don't even bother with Ron Paul anymore), being Catholic and spewing all sorts of nonsense in its name, as well as the majority of the bishops, Catholicism is sort of center state in the public arena right now. And this article reminds the world that most Catholics pay no attention to the edicts from on high. There is no such thing as the "Catholic vote." Catholics don't vote as block. They don't even vote in the majority for Republicans. President Obama took the cumulative "Catholic" vote with 54 percent.

These next two demonstrate the benefits of paying taxes. People love to sit back and whine about paying taxes, and choose to be completely blind to the things that these taxes pay for. And these days, the cry from the right is to NEVER increase taxes, only decrease. Well, here in Alabama, things aren't going so well with that plan. The state has just cut the general budget by 10 percent for the current year, and people are about to suffer. And the city of Mobile has a council who is terrified of reinstating a one percent sales tax increase that has been in effect for the last two years. Without it, services will start being cut, starting with the night lighting at parks & athletic fields. Now, that was a brilliant move as far as I am concerned, because it got people's attention REAL QUICK. People desperately need to be reminded of all the things that taxes pay for. And the fact that just like everything else, the cost of those services goes up over time. I like streets. I like parks. I like having police & fire protection. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits provided by taxes.

This made me laugh and laugh. If I had to retake the SAT today, I'd do fine on the reading/language/writing parts. But the math would be a total disaster. I can't do any of the stuff that Alexandrea has been doing for the last three years. Not. A. Clue.

Now, for some serious comic relief. Here's a video by drag queens about the constant debate in the gay community about boycotting Chick-Fil-A for it's blatant homophobic policies and in-your-face religious nonsense.



Finally, the view from here:

Alexandrea had a few friends over from school on the Saturday of Arts Festival, and we had a sunset pizza picnic at the bay. This photo was taken by Jennifer.

This one is mine. Another glorious sunset, being enjoyed by a lone egret.

The Orange Street Pier. I find it to be very photogenic. I need to find a new subject soon.

The next post will not be for at least a couple of weeks. However, it should be a great one, as it will be a photo documentary of the CRUISE! We leave on Sunday! It should be an epic week. If I have to turn 40 in three weeks, there's nothing like a week of serenity in the Caribbean to dull the pain. And speaking of dulling that pain, I think I'll spend my birthday at the legendary McGuire's Irish Pub in Pensacola. I went for lunch there last year on my birthday, but I think that I will require the anesthesia of the Irish Wake (limit 2, strictly observed!) this year. Anyone want to meet me there?

Show & Tell.

This week's post is just show & tell. Here are some of the things that I've seen in recent days that interested me:


The REAL reason youth are fleeing churches.


Another look at how the ultra-right religious crazies took over the Republican party.


Absolutely fascinating example of a species ability to survive.


Truly amazing story of the history of the HIV virus. And the science that stitched the story together. 


And if you are as intrigued by the HIV story as I was, you will enjoy this more in-depth story on NPR.

I saw this doom & gloom story about the economy, and nearly panicked.  

And then the very same day, I saw this one that takes the opposite stance. Which one do YOU think is accurate?

Intriguing and well-written article about how 2012 may be make-or-break for the GOP. I think you know which way I hope it goes. 

This first-hand account of open marriage made me think. I try very hard to stay open to any sort of arrangement that consenting adults choose to make with their lives. Polygamy? Fine, as long as it looks like the version portrayed on Sister Wives. Open marriage? Sure, because honesty is much better than secretive adultery. Of course, Republicans believe that only one relationship is acceptable..... heterosexual, monogamous marriage with lots of children because birth control is somehow wrong. I really love being a Democrat, just in case you were wondering.

The murder rate in New Orleans is out of control, and I really don't know what can be done to bring it under control. This is a really sad look at what it is doing to people there.

This new book on the history, meaning, and proper way to read the book of Revelations is on my must-read list now.

Lorraine & I watched the wonderful 4-hour American Experience on the presidency of Bill Clinton this week. It's really interesting to look back, especially in this election year that marks 20 years since his election. I miss Bill. More every day.

While I mentioned a recent show on the Amish in last week's post, I stumbled across this brand-new 2-hour look at their culture on American Experience this week. While it is interesting from an anthropological viewpoint, I am utterly horrified at the level of religious nonsense that these people subject themselves to. They have no lives other than that religion. They are brainwashed from birth, and education nor the outside world is allowed to enlighten them. It seems no less a religious tyranny than many of the Islamic cultures of the middle east.



And speaking of religious nonsense (something which will become a regular feature here from now on, because I feel that it must be pointed out when encountered), another baby has died from circumcision related complications. But this one really takes the cake. In this conservative Jewish version, the person performing the ritual cleans the blood with their mouth. Does that make any sense to anyone? Anyone? Not only is it unclean, as any sane person should know in the 20th century, much less here in the 21st, why is an adult putting their mouth on the genitals of an infant as part of a religious ceremony?! Religious nonsense, that's why.

Finally, Lorraine & I have caught up with the rest of the civilized world and are now devoted Downton Abbey fans. We watched the first season in 2 days, and are well into season 2 now. It is truly marvelous.