Faith-Based Office?

President Obama has selected 26 year old Josh DuBois to run the Faith-Based Office. I have to admit that I am not sure that this even needs to be an office in the government and I agree with the Mainstream Baptist in that the office should be dissolved.

Money Quote –

It is as wrong to give federal money to support progressive religious organizations as it is to use federal money to support conservative religious organizations. Fairness requires that the government should remain neutral in regard to religion. Elections and politicians should not be permitted to chose winners and losers in the sphere of religion.

The Rush proposal

I finally got around to reading Rush Limbaugh’s stimulus package proposal and I must admit that I think it is a pretty good idea. The proposal would take the $900 billion that is in the current stimulus bill and split it up 54% to 46%, with the 54% being spent as Obama sees fit and the 46% as Limbaugh sees fit. When you break it down, it isn’t as crass or simplistic as the previous sentence, but that was the best way to explain it.

The basic idea is to take the two prominent modes of economic theory, Keynesian economics and supply-side economics, and let them duke it out (for lack of a better term). In his proposal, both theories would be given the chance to succeed and thus possibly end the debate as to which is the superior theory.

Money Quote –

In this new era of responsibility, let's use both Keynesians and supply-siders to responsibly determine which theory best stimulates our economy -- and if elements of both work, so much the better. The American people are made up of Republicans, Democrats, independents and moderates, but our economy doesn't know the difference. This is about jobs now.

The economic crisis is an opportunity to unify people, if we set aside the politics. The leader of the Democrats and the leader of the Republicans (me, according to Mr. Obama) can get it done. This will have the overwhelming support of the American people. Let's stop the acrimony. Let's start solving our problems, together. Why wait one more day?

I am going to give Limbaugh credit, this is a vast improvement to the normal name calling and mud slinging that he is known for. Instead of just telling us that liberals are bad and conservatives are good, he has produced an honest proposal that, if considered, could really work. He has done so in a respectful manner and has made an attempt to bring people together (instead of divide them). Let’s just hope that Limbaugh can keep this type of behavior up (though I doubt it will happen…it’s not as good for the ratings).

Lefties of the past

Here is an interesting article on left handedness throughout history.

Hypocrisy

In response to Brad Neese’s Stop the Insanity and Stop the Insanity Part 2, Red S Tater put together Stop the Insanity Part 3. In his post Red makes a extremely valid point that I think proves the points I have been making in some recent posts.

Red states the following –

Now that "the One" is in power backed up by a Democrat controlled Senate and
House, bloggers that once tolerated the moveon.org's "General Betrayus" scam, have falsely promoted claims of the man-made global warming hoax, watched as the daily kos and it's clones lied and insulted President Bush, laughed as the left mocked and tried to destroy Sarah Palin and said nothing while the left cried "civil war" in Iraq and proclaimed we could not win even as victory is being achieved.... those bloggers now want to decry that any and all objections, critique or disagreement with "the One" is forbidden and is in fact "insane".... that we must "stop this insanity"?

Name calling and mud slinging aside, he is right. There are those on the left who either looked the other way or flat out supported many of the smear campaigns launched by groups like MoveOn.org or blogs like the Daily Kos. Those who supported or participated in such behaviors have no ground to stand on when criticizing the horrific behavior of people like Rush Limbaugh.

Based on the message of this post though, one would think that Red also sees this type of behavior as unacceptable except that he participates in smears, insults, and word twisting on a daily basis, so he can’t with any intellectual honesty slam those on the left for engaging in the type of behavior that he himself uses with great regularity (if not on every post and/or comment that he writes).

This is what the dictionary would refer to as hypocrisy. Now Red is not alone in this and not to blame for the situation, but he is to blame for not trying to make it better. We must collectively, liberals and conservatives, say enough is enough to the Limbaugh’s, Michael Moore’s, Ann Coulter’s, Al Franken’s, MoveOn.org’s, AFA’s, RedState.com’s, and Daily Kos’ of the world. We must demand that they pursue their goals in a respectful manner, going after ideas and policies instead of people, and we must demand that they work for the betterment of the country and the world instead of their party and pocketbook.

We all have our hypocrisies and to some extent that is part of being human. But blatant hypocrisy like that above or like that pointed out today by Brad is unacceptable. We must hold our leaders and ourselves to higher standards than this. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…we are better than this.

My Fiction -- Memphis Vampire Hunter: Chapter 1

I’ve decided to start a new segment that focuses on my attempts at writing fiction. These posts will include parts of the various different fiction projects that I have been kicking around for the past four or five years. Some of the stuff is very rough, some is just outlines, and some is still in the free association phase, but I could use feedback on all of it (plus I need a reason to make myself work on these projects, so maybe this will help).

I am going to start this with the first chapter of the only project that I have “completed” (I use that term lightly because the manuscript is woefully short). The working title is Memphis Vampire Hunter and I came up with the idea during the last season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In my head, the main character could have joined the cast and then would have been the hero in a Buffy spin-off, but Joss Whedon just wouldn’t return my calls. :-P


Memphis Vampire Hunter: Chapter 1

Memphis, TN, warehouse district.

Zack Anderson walked a group of students through the final run of the tai chi form they had been studying. The movements were slow and deliberate. Zack focused on the flowing energy in the room with each movement. The training room was a large open space on the second floor of what use to be a warehouse. The floor was padded and blue. The walls on two sides were a tan-ish brown color with occasional pictures and paintings of Chinese temples. Zack taught the same Shao Lin kung fu and tai chi his grandfather began teaching him when he was seven.

At the end of the form, the class stood for a moment in meditation. The room was filled with incense and shortness of breath. Zack opened his eyes.

“Great class everyone,” Zack said with a smile. “Remember to practice the steps we worked on tonight for next week’s class. Have a great week and drive home safe.”

The class broke apart amid various different conversations. Zack picked up a towel and wiped off his face. As the last of the class departed, Wendy Stark approached Zack.

“Hey Zack. How was class?”

“Good. They are coming along. What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you were going to make it to the show tonight?” Wendy asked as they walk into Zack’s office. Wendy was the owner and operator of the nightclub that took up the majority of the first floor of Zack’s warehouse. Zack inherited the building from his grandfather two years ago when he was 22. At the time Zack had just finished college and was working with his grandfather as a full time instructor at his kung fu school. Zack had been a part time instructor while going to college at the University of Memphis. Upon graduation, Zack took over as the full time instructor at the school while his grandfather prepared for retirement. Six months later, Zack’s grandfather died and the school and old warehouse was passed on to him.

“Who’s playing?” Zack asked as he threw his towel on his desk and collapsed in his chair.

“The Staggers from Dallas,” Wendy said as she sat down on the couch. Besides the desk and couch, Zack’s office is occupied with two bookcases filled with books on martial arts, history, and a healthy collection of science fiction and fantasy novels, a television, a third bookcase filled with DVD’s and VHS tapes including the science fiction and fantasy classics, kung fu and tai chi training tapes, the entire Bruce Lee catalog, and Zack’s favorite film, Nosferatu, a stereo system, and a CD rack with CD’s by The Staggers, The Meteors, Bad Religion, Tiger Army, Social Distortion, AC/DC, Bill Monroe, The Stray Cats, Hank Williams, The GC5, Mad Sin, and many others.

“Really? Cool. What time and who else is on the bill?” Zack asked. The Staggers were one of his favorite bands. They played a mix of punk and rockabilly with lyrics about monsters and scary movies.

“The Staggers will go on at 11PM. The opening band is The Roustabouts from Oklahoma City they will start at 9,” Wendy replied. She leaned back on the couch and looked around the room. “I really like what you have done with the place.”

Zack looked around the room at the pictures of his grandfather on the wall along side the Johnny Cash, Eraserhead, and Misfits posters and sighed. “Yeah…I’ve finally started to move some of his old stuff out of here. It’s been hard. I miss him.”

“I know you do,” Wendy said as she stood up, “but you are doing the right thing. He would want you to move on and make this place your home now. Besides, you put together that great memorial in the school’s front office. He would be proud. I’ll see you downstairs?” Wendy asked as she turned to leave.

“I’ll be there. I need to work on a few things here, but I won’t miss the show,” Zack said with a smile.

“Good. I’ll see you there. Don’t take too long getting ready, it’s nearly 8 as it is,” Wendy said with a smile as she walked out of Zack’s office.

Zack and Wendy met in high school and bonded over music, movies, and their general status as outsiders. After high school they both went to the University of Memphis where they played together in the short-lived psychobilly band, Memphis Train Wreck. While playing in the band, Wendy was often frustrated at the lack of places for their band to play locally. The majority of clubs that catered to live music were blues clubs and refused to let Memphis Train Wreck perform because they were not a blues band. The few clubs that did allow bands like MTW to play were generally run by jerks or only open for a few months at a time. It was during this time that she came up with the idea to open a club in Memphis that specialized in punk, psychobilly, ska, indie rock, oi, and alternative music. Now her only problem was to find a location.

When Zack started working part time for his grandfather, Wendy visited the kung fu school. The school itself took up the entire second floor of the warehouse and only a small part of the first floor (this part served as the front office). The rest of the first floor was empty and unused. One night after one of Zack’s classes, she asked him for a tour of the rest of the first floor. Zack and his grandfather took Wendy through the unused section of the first floor. To get to the unused section, they had to go outside and around to the old loading station of the warehouse. This portion of the building looked upon one of the districts side streets and ended into the parking lot used by the school. The entire building took up an entire, albeit small, block. The entrance for the school faced north with the parking lot on the west and the loading dock on the south. The loading dock was on the far east end of the south side of the building, while the old warehouse employee entrance was on the west end. The three entered through the employee entrance into the large empty space. The floor was covered in dust and after 20 yards or so stairs took them down to the warehouse floor (about three feet down). The loading dock was at the same level as the employee entrance and was connected to the entrance by a walk way and group of stock room. Wendy saw total potential in the room. This was where she wanted to open her club. After the tour, she and Zack were driving home and she told him about her idea.

“Do you think your grandfather would let me use the empty part of the warehouse for a club?” she asked Zack.

Zack looked over at Wendy and said, “I’m don’t know. Are you really sure you want to do this? I mean running a club is hard work.”

“I’m sure. This is something I really want to do. Besides I’ve been taking all of those business classes and doing research on running nightclubs. I know I can do it,” Wendy responded.

“Well…I can’t see the harm in asking.”

“YES!” Wendy shrieked, threw her arms around Zack’s neck, and kissed his cheek.

“Now you know my grandfather, you better be prepared to show him you know what you are doing and that you have a plan,” Zack said.

“I will. I promise,” Wendy said beaming.

The next day Wendy approached Zack’s grandfather about the prospect of turning the first floor of his warehouse into a club. She showed him research, graphs, and used the success of Memphis Train Wreck as examples in her presentation. Zack’s grandfather agreed under the condition that the club would not open until Wendy graduated and that she had to have excellent grades. That gave Wendy two years to prepare. Slowly all three of them worked on renovating the warehouse into a club and one month after graduation, The Warehouse opened its doors and Memphis Tran Wreck played their last show.

_____

After finishing some paperwork, Zack got ready and left his office for the show. Dressed in a pair of blue jeans (rolled up at the bottom), a black t-shirt, and a pair of skate shoes, Zack stopped at the mirror to check his almost pompadour style flat top hair.

The Staggers played until 1AM to the delight of the audience and closed the show with a cover of the Hank William’s classic “I Saw the Light.” The crowd was good sized for a band whose following had grown and waned over the years. The crowd was fairly typical for The Warehouse, a mix of punks, skinheads, greasers, and goths ranging in age from 14 to 40.

By the end of the show Zack was exhausted. He took his leave of the band, Wendy, and a few of his friends and started walking home. Zack lived in an apartment a few blocks down the road. It wasn’t the nicest place in the world, but the rent was cheap and it was close to work. The apartment was a loft in a converted warehouse. The outside of the building was old and plain, but the inside was well accommodated and spacious, with plenty of room for training and working out.

As Zack approached his building, he heard what he thought was a struggle around the corner.

That’s odd, Zack thought. This is normally a calm neighborhood.

Putting his keys back into his pocket, Zack walked to the corner.

“Is everything okay…what the?” Zack stared in shock as his neighbor, Mr. Ellington, was trying to fight off what Zack can only think is a deranged madman. Immediately Zack ran to the struggle and pulled the assailant off Mr. Ellington. The attacker fell to the ground and then jumped to his feet. He looked at Zack and Mr. Ellington, snarled, and ran off.

“What the hell was that?” asked Mr. Ellington.

“I have no idea,” replied Zack. “Let’s get you inside. Are you okay?”

Currently Listening

1. “Get a Different Life” by 7 Seconds (from The Music, The Message)
2. “Hotplate” by ALL (from Percolater)
3. “My Responsibility” by Buffalo Tom (from Big Red Letter Day)
4. “Downtime” by Dag Nasty (from Four to the Floor)
5. “This Is Your Life” by Dropkick Murphys (from Blackout)
6. “Texarkana” by R.E.M. (from Out of Time)
7. “I Need Feedback” by Swingin’ Utters (from Five Lessons Learned)
8. “Favorite Thing” by The Replacements (from Let It Be)
9. “Dead Ends” by The GC5 (from Never Bet the Devil Your Head)
10. “City of Blinding Lights” by U2 (from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)

Picking a minor

As some of you may know, I plan on joining the Religious Studies program at the University of Oklahoma (hopefully in the fall) to pursue my Bachelors degree. At first I was planning on doing a double-major with political science (along with getting a teaching certificate). Then I changed my mind and decided to do a minor (maybe a double-major) in history. Well lately I have been rethinking that as well. At the moment I am leaning towards getting the Religious Studies BA with a minor/double-major in literature (focusing on mythology and folklore if possible).

Part of the reason for my change in direction is the potential ability to get a teaching job. Once I get my BA and teaching certificate, I plan on trying to get a job teaching in the local high schools (while I work on my MA and PhD). In many ways I think that I would have a better time landing a job teaching English than I would Social Studies.

My long term goal is to be a college professor (hopefully at OCCC) teaching courses in Comparative Religions, Mythology, Church & State Issues, Folklore, and so on. I would also love teaching some of the basic government and history classes. Most of the aforementioned classes that are currently taught at OCCC are taught by individuals with literature degrees.

So I stand at a cross roads so to speak. Do I follow the literature/English direction (which would go along with all of my past Journalism and Creative Studies credits) or do I go down the history/political science path? What do you think?

Currently Reading

At the moment I am reading three different books. A lot of times when I am working on multiple books, I wait to do this post until I have settled on one but this time I think I am going to finish all three.


Title: A Wizard of Earthsea
Author: Ursula Le Guin
Publisher: Bantam Books

This is the first book in the Earthsea saga. I first heard of this series from the course on CD about fantasy literature that I listened to recently. So far the writing is very strong, vivid, and fasted paced.


Title: Celtic Myths and Legends
Author: Peter Berresford Ellis
Publisher: Running Press

I found this book while doing research on elves. The introduction alone is worth picking up the book. This is one that I will some day need to have in my library.


Title: J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth, Morality, and Religion
Author: Richard L. Putrill
Publisher: HarperCollins

This is another one for the library. The title pretty much says it all, but this book basically takes a look at the work of JRR Tolkien through issues dealing with myth and mythology, religion, and morality.

Currently Listening

1. “Everything Counts” by Depeche Mode (from The Singles 81-85)
2. “Boom” by Flight of the Conchords (from Flight of the Conchords)
3. “Gods Are Fearing Men” by Filthy Thieving Bastards (from My Pappy Was a Pistol)
4. “Where Eagles Dare” by The Misfits (from Misfits: Collection 1)
5. “Public Image” by Public Image Limited (from Public Image)
6. “Thin Line Between Love and Hate” by The Pretenders (from The Singles)
7. “The End of Radio” by Shellac (from Excellent Italian Greyhound)
8. “The Walk” by The Thrones (from Day Late, Dollar Short)
9. “Hand Me the Downs” by U.S. Bombs (from War Birth)
10. “White Moon” by The White Stripes (from Get Behind Me Satan)

Here is one HUGE reason why civil discourse in this country isn’t that civil

From Red S Tater (I am quoting the post in its entirety):

UPDATE: Rush Limbaugh Responds To Obama Attack

"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."- President B. H. Obama

SO, why is Obama trying to separate Republican politicians from Rush Limbaugh (and voters).

Rush Responds and here is Rule 13 of Alinksy's *"Rules for Radicals":

"Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."

(*Obama had strong ties to the teachings of Saul Alinksy while he was community organizing in Chicago)

"If I can be made to serve as a distraction, then there is that much less time debating the merits of this TRILLION dollar debacle."- Rush Limbaugh

Link to original story

Labels: corrupt chicago politics, culture of corruption, less than presidential, more like jerry springer

posted by Red S Tater at 4:48 PM 0 comments

Wow…just…wow. No wonder people think it is okay to launch personal attacks on those they disagree with, they are just following the self-appointed leader of the conservative movement. And thus liberals are reacting in kind, starting a vicious cycle that gets nothing done and only hurts the country.

Now I know that Rush Limbaugh did not create this concept, it has been alive and well throughout our history, but the fact that he made it a rule for his own discourse is disturbing and frankly disgusting. Limbaugh holds lots of sway with millions of Americans and the fact that he has chosen the low road, deciding to follow a very un-Christ-like way of behaving, shows his partisan hypocrisy and shortsightedness. Instead of being the better man and standing above the fray of those who just throw insults, he has decided to lead the fray.

To those who find this type of behavior disturbing and disgusting, the way to beat it is not by joining it. Every time a liberal reacts to this type of attack discourse, they are only making the problem worse. Those who make their living off the fray, like Limbaugh, just use it as example claiming that they are the righteous and the liberals are the evil ones (and thus the liberals with the same type of mindset respond by calling Limbaugh and company evil and on and on and on). We must stop the insanity!!!

I am not saying that we shouldn’t disagree, debate, and/or have dialogues. Our country is built on the concept of debate drive compromise and that is a good and healthy thing that we must never lose. What we do need to lose though is this ridiculous way of behaving. Our civil discourse looks more like a bunch of kindergarteners fighting on the playground over the tire-swing than the workings of the greatest country in the world. Grow up people. We are better than this.

Currently Listening

1. “To Live is to Fly” by Cowboy Junkies (from Black Eyed Man)
2. “When Will I See You” by Danko Jones (from Sleep is the Enemy)
3. “We Live as We Dream, Alone” by Gang of Four (from Songs Of The Free)
4. “Search & Destroy” by Iggy & The Stooges (from Raw Power)
5. “Where They Wonder” by The HorrorPops (from Hell Yeah)
6. “The End” by Hot Water Music (from Caution)
7. “Disorder” by Joy Division (from Unknown Pleasures)
8. “Journey to the End of the East Bay” by Rancid (from …And Out Come the Wolves)
9. “Let’s Get It On” by Jack Black (from High Fidelity)
10. “Lost Generation” by Baby Gopal (from Victory Style, Vol. 2)

Well said Brad!

Brad Neese has perfectly summed up the current foray of Obama bashing in this excellent post.

Money Quote –

No matter how strongly I disagreed with President Bush’s policies and actions, I never wanted him to fail as president. I would fight his agenda, but I never rooted for him to fail. Why would I? His failures negatively impacted me and my country. It’s like despising my boss so much that I rooted for him/her to fail, even though his/her failure could very well negatively impact me and my job!

It’s this type of irrational fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric that makes me worry more for this country than anything George Bush has done or Barack Obama may do. The cancer of “us vs. them” selfishness and refusal to find common ground is dividing this country in ever more irreparable ways. We are doing more harm to our own country than any terrorist could ever do. “United we stand, divided we fall.” We are a nation divided. If we do not find a way to come together, we will fall.

AMEN!

Google Ads

For those of you that have the Google Ads on your blogs, do you get much, if any, money from it? Also do you think it slows down the way your page loads? Have you gotten any complaints from readers about the ads?

I ask because I’ve been trying to think of ways to use my blog to generate extra income. Thoughts?

Currently Listening

1. “Sonic Reducer” by The Dead Boys (from Younger, Louder, & Snottier)
2. “This is a Call” by Foo Fighters (from Foo Fighters)
3. “Length of Love” by Interpol (from Antics)
4. “Girlfriend in a Coma” by Mojo Nixon (from Whereabouts Unknown)
5. “Wave of Mutilation [UK Surf]” by The Pixies (from Complete B-Sides)
6. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M. (from MTV’s Unplugged)
7. “Covered” by Public Image Limited (from That What Is Not)
8. “Ramones” by Roger Miret & the Disasters (from My Riot)
9. “Mayonaise” by The Smashing Pumpkins (from Siamese Dream)
10. “Hol On” by Tim Armstrong (from A Poet’s Life)

Seriously…

How does this happen?

Best Films of the 1990’s

Here is MovieFone’s take on the Best Movies of the 90’s.

Currently Listening

1. “Rise” by Public Image Limited (from Album)
2. “Foux Du Fafa” by Flight of the Conchords (from Flight of the Conchords)
3. “Didn’t We Deserve a Look at You” by Shellac (from Terraform)
4. “Gift Horse” by The Thrones (from Alraune)
5. “When She Sang About Angels” by The Go-Betweens (from The Friends of Rachel Worth)
6. “Boys Don’t Cry” by The Cure (from MTV’s Unplugged)
7. “Need Some Air” by Urge Overkill (from Exit the Dragon)
8. “Practice Makes Perfect” by Wire (from Chairs Missing)
9. “If I Can’t Change Your Mind (Solo Mix)" by Sugar (from Helpless)
10. “Ether” by Gang of Four (from Entertainment!)

A new day

After watching the Inauguration on Tuesday I feel like a new day has risen in America. Maybe I have let myself get taken away with all of the pomp and circumstance of it all, but the President’s Inaugural Address truly moved me (heck it even moved FGO). I have like and supported Obama for a long time, but with that speech he got me. If he stays true to those words, he will have my support for…well forever.

The attacks will (and have) come. There are those who disagree with the President’s policies and they will be vocal in their opposition (as they should be) but I feel that with this man their voices will be heard. Obama seems ready to take on all comers and listen to all points of view and that is something that we have desperately needed for years.

Where did elves come from?

Elves are a staple in fantasy literature, appearing in the works of JRR Tolkien, Terry Brooks, R.A. Salvatore, Barb & JC Hendee, and many, many others. We know that Tolkien didn’t invent the elves, so where did they come from?

The earliest known and preserved descriptions on elves are found in Norse mythology. Elves have also been found in the fairy tales and mythology of the Scandinavian, Icelandic, German, and English (apparently having made an appearance at King Arthur’s birth). Elves first appear in modern literature was in the 1924 novel The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dubsany, showing up next in Tolkien’s The Hobbit (according to the Wikipedia entry on elves).

My short internet searches didn’t provide a lot on the general history of elves (there was plenty of stuff on the history of Tolkien’s elves, the elves from D&D, etc.). Aside from the Wikipedia article, I found a couple of other interesting pages (found here and here) but not much else. It looks like I shall be heading to the library for some research. If anyone knows of any good books on the history of elves or websites that would have any good information, please let me know.

Currently Listening

Today I loaded up only albums that were released in the 90’s into the player. Here is what came out.

1. “I Stay Away” by Alice in Chains (from Jar of Flies)
2. “Talkbox” by 7 Seconds (from The Music, The Message)
3. “Next Big Thing” by Material Issue (20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection: The Best of Material Issue)
4. “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)” by Concrete Blonde (from Bloodletting)
5. “Getting Away with It” by Electronic (from Electronic)
6. “Rats” by Pink Lincolns (from Punk USA)
7. “Plastic Jesus” by Jello Biafra & Mojo Nixon (from Prairie Home Invasion)
8. “Veronica Hates Me” by Screeching Weasel (from My Brain Hurts)
9. “Let’s Go Mano” by The Donnas (from The Donnas)
10. “Brazil” by Goodbye Harry (from I Can Smoke)
11. “The Concept” by Teenage Fanclub (from Bandwagonesque)

Individualism and faith

Here is a really interesting article on how American individualism had made an impact on Christianity. According to the article a “sizable majority of the country's faithful no longer hew closely to orthodox teachings, and look more to themselves than to churches or denominations to define their religious convictions, according to two recent surveys.” Those same surveys also found that “more than half of all Christians also believe that some non-Christians can get into heaven.”

To make things even more interesting, 71% of the people who responded to a survey conducted by the Barna Group said that they were “more likely to develop their own set of religious beliefs than to accept a defined set of teachings from a particular church.”

And how about this –

Many "cafeteria Christians" go beyond the teachings of Christian denominations to embrace parts of other world religions.

Half of Americans also believe that Christianity is now just one of many faith options people can choose from (44 percent disagree with that perception). Residents of the Northeast and West were more likely than those in the South and Midwest to say Christianity has lost its status as the favored American religion.

[…]

The most striking divergence from orthodoxy, however, was first revealed in the 2007 US Religious Landscape Survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. That comprehensive survey of 35,000 Americans found a majority of Christians saying that people of other religions can find salvation and eternal life.

Okay…so maybe that poll was wrong. Well…

Pew undertook a follow-up survey, which it released in late December. That poll found 65 percent of American Christians (including 47 percent of Evangelicals) do indeed think that many different religions can lead to eternal life. Among these Christians, 80 percent cited one non-Christian faith as a route to salvation; 61 percent named two or more.

The survey also asked about views on how one obtains eternal life. Among all adults with a religious affiliation, 30 percent say correct beliefs are what counts, 29 percent say salvation depends on one's actions during life, while 10 percent say both are essential. Those who emphasize the impact of actions are more inclined to believe that practitioners of non-Christian faiths can achieve eternal life. Most of those who emphasize beliefs say non-Christian paths do not lead to heaven.

The poll confirms a broad rejection of religious exclusivity. Among all religious adults interviewed, 65 percent say many religions lead to eternal life and only 29 percent say theirs is the one true faith. Sixty-nine percent of all non-Jews say Judaism can lead to eternal life and 52 percent of non-Muslims say that of Islam.

Forty-two percent of religious Americans also say atheists are able to find eternal life.

Some are hailing the results and some are seeing it as the continued decline of America. It is pretty safe to say that I see these results as a good thing. Americans as a whole are making some wonderful conclusions and realizations about religion.

So what does this say about Americans and our rugged individualism? Is it the tough I-can-do-it-myself American spirit that has fueled this change or is it the decline of our culture?

I think the final paragraph of the article is also worth quoting in its entirety –

"It's just part of a 200-year working out of ideas about personal autonomy and equality that are sort of built into the American experience," says Alan Wolfe, director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College. "The notion that someone is going to burn in hell because they have their own beliefs is just not resonant within our larger political ideals."

This very well could be the beginning of a new American Enlightenment in the realm of religious ideas. Only time will tell.

The Otter Limits: The Essential Rap and 70’s Albums

In his two latest editions in the Essentials series, Steve tackles albums of the 1970’s and rap.

Currently Listening

And today the computer gave us…

1. “Everybody Knows” by Concrete Blonde (from Pump Up the Volume)
2. “Concrete Animals” by Shonen Knife (from Rock Animals)
3. “The Nurse” by The White Stripes (from Get Behind Me Satan)
4. “She’s a Rebel” by Green Day (from American Idiot)
5. “I Won’t Forget You” by The Riverdales (from The Riverdales)
6. “Anymore” by Travis Tritt (from Greatest Hits: From the Beginning)
7. “Dreams Away” by Down By Law (from Down By Law)
8. “Your Emotions” by Dead Kennedys (from Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables)
9. “The Neutral” by Sonic Youth (from Rather Ripped)
10. “Sun King” by The Cult (from Pure Cult: The Singles 1984-1995)

Do you have long fingers?

If so, it may mean that you are going to have financial success.

Paranoia at work

Thanks to Brad Neese for this find.

It seems that Caleb Crain believes that parents want their kids to be little leftists and commies.

Marxist principles have been dripping steadily into the minds of American youth for more than a century. This isn’t altogether surprising. After all, most parents want their children to be far left in their early years — to share toys, to eschew the torture of siblings, to leave a clean environment behind them, to refrain from causing the extinction of the dog, to rise above coveting and hoarding, and to view the blandishments of corporate America through a lens of harsh skepticism. But fewer parents wish for their children to carry all these virtues into adulthood. It is one thing to convince your child that no individual owns the sandbox and that it is better for all children that it is so. It is another to hope that when he grows up he will donate the family home to a workers’ collective.

At what point did concepts like sharing, not tormenting others, being clean and taking care of the environment around you, not hurting animals, not coveting or hoarding, and being skeptical become some how Marxist? Even better, how are these things bad?!? This is just plain insanity.

The things that don’t fall into the nice, neat, and tidy labels of left and right and that is something that partisans and Kool-Aid just don’t seem to understand. Morality is not a left/right thing. Neither is virtue, ethics, or any of the things in that quote above. Trying to make these concepts fit into different political ideologies is just asinine and intellectually dishonest. Anyone that thinks either side has the market on morality is either blind or crazy.

I need to read more Tolkien

I recently picked up a course on CD at the library called Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature. I am about half way through the CDs and am thoroughly enjoying the course, but I am starting to realize that I really need to read more JRR Tolkien. To date I have read only The Hobbit (which I truly enjoyed…once I got through the first half and the story really took off) and The Fellowship of the Ring (which took me over a year to finish because I continuously put it down in favor of other books, not because it was bad but instead because I found it tiring to read [after reading two pages I’d felt like I’d read 20]). I have seen the Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy many, many times and consider it to be one of the greatest movie series ever made (including one of my personal favorites) and am fascinated with the world and history that Tolkien created. I also picked up the book J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth, Morality and Religion by Richard L. Purtill (which will probably be my next Currently Reading) and have gotten a bit into the first chapter but I can tell that I am going to enjoy it.

For those who have read Tolkien, I have a couple of questions. First, where should I start? Second, how different are the Lord of the Rings films from the books? I am going to force myself to try my hand at Tolkien again sometime soon, but wasn’t sure where to start. I truly enjoy fantasy literature and know that modern fantasy starts with Tolkien so I feel like I am missing out on something without having read more of his stuff. Thoughts?

Whoopi vs. Ann

I wish I hadn’t missed this. My money is on Whoopi, especially if it goes to a cage match.

Doing what you don’t want done to you

Here is a classic example of a blogger not following the Golden Rule. This individual criticizes another local blogger for the attacks that he makes on his blog by throwing insults.

Maybe I am alone on this, but if there is something that you see being done by those who you consider to be on “the other side” that infuriates you, why would you turn around and engage in that same type of behavior? This makes absolutely no sense to me. For one thing, you automatically lose the moral high ground in your argument (whether you are actually right or not). On a personal level it also makes no sense to me. If you hate being treated a certain way, why in the name of all that is good in this world would you turn around and treat someone else like that?

To some extent these types of reactions are just part of our flawed humanity, but honestly I think that we can do better than this, especially in our political discourse and our daily interactions. What we have been taught by those in the media is that it is okay to attack anyone and everyone, personally and professionally, for any reason as long as it makes us successful (i.e. money) and promotes our agenda. This is the lesson of the past 15 years and the explosion of the “new media.” Sure it was always there to some extent, but thanks to the internet it has gotten worse.

I am not saying that we shouldn’t question our leaders. We should, vigorously and constantly, but we should be respectful about it. We should treat others the way that we want to be treated. This isn’t a new concept. Jesus espoused it. Confucius taught it. If it was good enough for them, I think it should be good enough for us.

Gay Bishop to open inaugural events

Reverend Gene Robinson will open the inaugural events on Sunday by delivering the kick-off invocation on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Rev. Robinson was elected as the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop in 2003 resulting in much division (nd some splits) in the church.

I think this selection by Obama is an excellent idea. It perfectly balances the Rick Warren selection and yet again shows the mentality that Obama takes from all points of view and encourages interacting and working with a broad range of perspectives. It should also help to quite those vocal critics of the Warren selection because of his anti-gay stances.

This is destined to be an interesting four years, that’s for sure.

The Essential One Man Army

One Man Army started out in San Francisco in the mid-90’s, released three full length albums, three seven inches, and one split CD before calling it a day in 2005. OMA’s debut album Dead End Stories has the distinction of being the first release on Billie Joe Armstrong’s Adeline Records. The band stayed with Adeline for their follow up Last Word Spoken and then signed to BYO Records for what turned out to be their two final releases (the full length Rumors and Headlines and the split CD with Alkaline Trio, BYO Split Series, Vol. 5). Sadly the releases on Adeline and the band’s EPs are all out-of-print. After the band broke up, lead singer/guitarist Jack Dalrymple went on to join the Swingin’ Utters and Dead To Me.

I first heard OMA on a seven inch with three other bands. The song included was “Down the Block” and it blew me away. On the surface OMA reminded me of a three piece Swingin’ Utters but the more I heard the band’s material the more I realized that while the comparison was fair, there was a lot more going on with the band than just being another street punk band from CA. I reviewed Dead End Stories for my zine Caught Off Guard and the review ended up being quoted in Adeline’s press releases for the band (Which was super cool! The folks that I interacted with at Adeline were really good people.). The band then played a show at the Meridian Ave Music Dimensions location and at that show I got to meet the band and interview them (which never saw the light of day because COG dissolved and the interview turned out to be a bit of a mess, but sitting around talking with the band after the show was fantastic). I sadly missed the other times OMA played in OKC, but the memories of the Music D’s show are great (my only beef being that they didn’t play “Down the Block” which is still one of my favorite songs of theirs).

One Man Army’s sound evolved over their career, starting out playing Stiff Little Fingers-esque street rock which morphed into a fairly complex pop-punk, but the band never really fit right into either category. In fact, I firmly believe that the more people heard this band the more they would like them (categories and sub-genres be damned). Their music was honest, heart felt, catchy, and powerful and truly deserved to be heard. If you can get your hands on any of their releases I HIGHLY suggest picking them up. If not may I suggest that you check out the songs listed below.

You can find out more about One Man Army on MySpace, Wikipedia, AllMusic, Interpunk, and their BYO Records profile.


1. “Another Dead End Story” (from Dead End Stories)
2. “Money in the Bank” (from Dead End Stories)
3. “They’ll Never Call It Quits” (from Dead End Stories)
4. “Stuck in the Avenues” (from Dead End Stories)
5. “Another Time” (from Dead End Stories)
6. “Fate at Fourteen” (from Dead End Stories)
7. “Down the Block” (from Dead End Stories)
8. “Big Time” (from Dead End Stories)
9. “Back Then” (from Dead End Stories)
10. “Downtown Lights” (from Dead End Stories)
11. “The Old Songs” (from Last Word Spoken)
12. “Bootlegger’s Son” (from Last Word Spoken)
13. “Another Night” (from Last Word Spoken)
14. “All Your Friends” (from Last Word Spoken)
15. “Until Now” (from Last Word Spoken)
16. “The Lonely Road to Nowhere” (from Last Word Spoken)
17. “The Tune of the Leisure Pace” (from Last Word Spoken)
18. “Red Light’s Tinge” (from Last Word Spoken)
19. “Last Word Spoken” (from Last Word Spoken)
20. “The Holidays” (from Last Word Spoken)
21. “Victoria” (from Rumors and Headlines)
22. “It’s Empty” (from Rumors and Headlines)
23. “S.O.S.” (from Rumors and Headlines)
24. “Have Nots and Heartbreak” (from Rumors and Headlines)
25. “Leave Me Alone” (from Rumors and Headlines)
26. “Casualty” (from Rumors and Headlines)
27. “Next Generation” (from Rumors and Headlines)
28. “We Are” (from Rumors and Headlines)
29. “Rotting in the Doldrums” (from Rumors and Headlines)
30. “Sleeper” (from Rumors and Headlines)
31. “The T.V. Song” (BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
32. “The Hemophiliac” (BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
33. “The Radio Airwaves Gave Me a Lobotomy” (BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
34. “I.F.H.A. (One Love)” (BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
35. “Let’s Call It an Evening” (BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)

The last press conference

I just finished listening to President Bush’s final press conference and it pretty much reinforced what I already thought of the man. Despite what many, many others will tell you, I don’t think President Bush is an evil or even bad guy. He, like all of us, is flawed and has made mistakes (the biggest being picking Dick Cheney as his Vice President) but overall I think he is a genuine person who has done what he thinks is right. Do I agree with his decisions? No, not all of them. Do I think his administration abused the power of the office? Absolutely. My strongest criticism of President Bush is that he and Vice President Cheney worked so hard to consolidate as much power as possible into the Executive Branch. Bush did this I believe because he thought it was the right thing to do (I have serious questions and doubts about Cheney’s motives) but I also think he was incredibly wrong and the actions of his administration also potentially inflicted lasting damage to our system of government and out Constitution. (See this administration’s use of signing statements as an example.)

The press conference itself was pretty typical for a Bush press conference. The President referred to reporters by name, cracked jokes (my favorite being one in response to a question about his critics to which he responded “You know some?”), and defended his record, defiantly at times. He was respectful to the press-core and spoke glowingly if President-elect Obama’s family. He ended the press conference by wishing everyone the best of luck in a voice that sounded a bit wistful and sad.

History will decide the relevance of the Bush presidency, for good or for ill, but it will take time before those judgments can be passed with any sense of intellectual honesty. Lately I have begun to regret my vote for Bush in 2000 (mostly I wish that I had voted for Nader), but I did what I thought was right at the time and that is all anyone can ever do…citizens and presidents. I wish President Bush the best of luck in his future endeavors.

The Otter Limits: The Essential MXPX and California Punk Rock

Here are the latest Essentials from Steve at The Otter Limits – MXPX and California Punk Rock.

I am pro-marketplace…

But against corporatism. The way that many of the major corporations behave towards their customers and employees is just despicable. What they are doing may be legal but it is far from moral or ethical.

I shall use my own experience working in corporate America as an example. Not a day goes by, not a day, where I don’t find myself having to follow a policy that doesn’t make me feel dirty. In order to encourage or coax new customers to join their service, many companies provide huge discounts on equipment and on monthly bills as incentive for joining the service and signing a contract. This is nothing new, but it creates many dilemmas. First, old customers feel that they are getting shafted when they have to pay full price for a product that a new customer would get for free. Second, the discounts on the monthly bills are often done through rebates that the customer must fill out online before getting the discounts. This is often not properly disclosed to the customer at the point of sale (or it is and the customer is either not listening or just doesn’t understand) causing the customer to become upset when they get that first bill that is much higher than they were expecting it to be. Third, companies are setting up unreasonable expectations in the eyes of the public by giving away equipment. This stuff (cell phones as a great example) are not cheap to make and thus the companies are going into the deal taking a loss, essentially subsidizing the cost of the equipment over the time of the contract (planning on making the money back through the contract period). Subsequently people do not realize how much the equipment costs the company and feel entitled to free stuff just because they are a customer. Well in some cases that is a legitimate thing to expect, but those cases are not the majority yet people think that they are. So here we have the perfect environment for chaos and dissatisfaction, and if the people that I talk to on a daily basis are any indication, or decent percentage of the public, then it is extremely safe to say that people are dissatisfied.

This should of course come as no surprise. Just look at the poll numbers. The public’s confidence level in ALL of our institutions is at an all time low. The average folks feel like they are getting squeezed, pinched, and nickel and dimed by everything from their phone company, electric company, grocery store, TV provider, employer, and mostly from their government. We’re all tired and fed up and we should be. More than anything though, I am tired of being “the man’s” punching bag; I am sick and tired of being the target for those who want to lash out at the big evil corporation. I understand the anger and frustration; we should be furious and demanding better from our institutions and leaders, but taking that frustration out of the front line workers does absolutely no good. We have no say, no power, and no control over the policies of these companies, in fact we hate many of these policies more than the customers do. We are just folks trying to eek out a living like everyone else. The problem is that these policies are created by bean counters and suits that have no idea how their decisions and policies affect their employees and customers and wouldn’t know how to talk to a customer if their life depended on it. And while many companies try to talk the good talk of building lasting relationships with employees and customers, they rarely, if ever, walk the walk.

The marketplace can work. There are tons of small businesses that do it and do it well, but too often the system has gotten hijacked by those driven by pure selfishness, hubris, and greed. What we need is a substantial reworking of the attitudes, goals, and philosophies of our corporations and institutions (or maybe just a massive house cleaning) if we want to be able to live up to the promise of this nation. It can be done, but it won’t be easy. I just hope that the greed doesn’t win out because if it does, we all lose.

Thought of the Day

I got the following from this month’s Steve Alten Newsletter.

Living Tips: One Act of Kindness Can Change the World

I've been doing extensive research for GRIM REAPER these last ten months and found an interesting fact: All three major world religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - originated from one man - Abraham. Turns out the Father of Religion EVER intended to create a religion. It's overwhelming to think how much blood has been spilled under the guise of religion, each act of violence pulling us farther away from God, not closer. Kabbalists, who decoded the secrets of the Universe found in the Torah, state that there was one universal message that each great leader was supposed to pass on from God, and it had nothing to do with religion:

Love Thy Neighbor As Thy Self.

Man, have we screwed up but it is never too late. Remember, a simple act of kindness can go a long way.

I couldn’t have said it any better.

Currently Watching

Title: An Unreasonable Man (official, IMDB, Amazon, Wikipedia)

I first heard Ralph Nader on Phil Donahue’s show back in the late 80’s. I remember the exchange because Donahue said something along the lines of “Are you the last real liberal left in America?” That has always stuck with me and since then I have held Nader in pretty high regard. After watching An Unreasonable Man my respect for the man has quadrupled.

This documentary takes the viewer through Nader’s entire political career through detailed research, interview (with friends and foes), and a slew of video clips. The editing is just perfect keeping the pace of the film quick while not sacrificing the subject, content, or information being covered.

It is sad that Nader will probably be best known for “costing Al Gore the election of 2000” but that just isn’t the case. Was he a factor in Gore’s loss? Absolutely. Was he the primary reason? Not at all (the election of 2000 is something that has been greatly covered and cannot be narrowed down to blaming one man for what was a mess of chaos, corruption, and poor campaigning).

Nader is the kind of liberal that America needs. He’s not a socialist (nor does he have socialist leaning that I can tell), but he does firmly believe in holding people and corporations accountable for their actions. He has done what he has thought was right for decades and because of his work, many things in this country have been improved. I highly recommend this DVD for those interested in learning more about the work of and the man Ralph Nader.

Good luck Sinister

Local blogger and BNN editor extraordinaire Sinister has taken the jump and left the Sooner State for Oregon. Let’s all wish him and his family the best of luck with the move and life. I hope all goes well for you in the Pacific Northwest. The Okies will miss ya.

Currently Listening

Thanks to the “work” I did putting together the Essential 80’s post, I have been on a huge 80’s kick. So today I’ve loaded up the player with some classics from the days Reagan and Bush (I).

1. “Tried to be True” by Indigo Girls (from Indigo Girls)
2. “I Turned into a Martian” by Misfits (from Misfits: Collection I)
3. “Another State of Mind” by Social Distortion (from Mommy’s Little Monster)
4. “Do Wot You Do” by INXS (from Pretty in Pink)
5. “All the Things She Said” by Simple Minds (from The Best of Simple Minds Disc 1)
6. “Close to Me” by The Cure (from Greatest Hits)
7. “Wild in the Streets” by The Circle Jerks (from Group Sex/Wild in the Streets)
8. “We Got the Beat [Single Mix]” by The Go-Go’s (from Return to the Valley of the Go-Go’s Disc 1)
9. “Synchronicity II” by The Police (from Synchronicity)
10. “We’re Only Gonna Die” by Bad Religion (from How Could Hell Be Any Worse?)

Currently Reading

Title: The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Children’s High Level Group / Arthur A. Levine Books / Scholastic Inc.

This is a book that expands on the wizarding fairy tales mentioned in the final Harry Potter book. The tales are written in both the manner of classic fairy tales as well as the flow and style that fans know and love from the Harry Potter series. I must admit that I can’t wait to see what Ms. Rowling comes up with next.

The Essential 80’s Alternative

This Essentials installment was inspired by Steve’s Essential Albums of the 1980s. His post got me thinking about all of the different ways that you could do an Essentials list for the 80’s. You could so alternative/underground Essentials, mainstream Essentials, or general Essentials (a combination of the first two). Steve’s list would fall into the general category. I wanted to do something a bit more specific, so I started thinking of doing 80’s alternative/underground albums. Then while lying in bed I got the idea for going songs instead of albums and have since tossed both ideas around in my head. Now that I sit down to write this post I have decided to go with songs. Now generally in my song lists I include the name of the album/release that the song comes from, but I am not going to do that today (mostly because it is wicked early and I don’t want to have to look them up).

So for those of you who have ever wanted to get into the underground music of the 1980’s, I suggest that you go and download (preferably purchasing them from the band if at all possible) the following tunes. This will probably be pretty long, but could have be much longer. (Listed in no particular order)

1. “Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You)” by Dramarama
2. “Rise Above” by Black Flag
3. “TV Party” by Black Flag
4. “No Need” by Big Drill Car
5. “Walk Together, Rock Together” by 7 Seconds
6. “99 Red Balloons” by 7 Seconds
7. “Satyagraha” by 7 Seconds
8. “Clenched Fists, Black Eyes” by 7 Seconds
9. “Kill the Poor” by Dead Kennedys
10. “Holiday in Cambodia” by Dead Kennedys
11. “Chickenshit Conformist” by Dead Kennedys
12. “Bloodstains” by Agent Orange
13. “People Are People” by Depeche Mode
14. “Everything Counts” by Depeche Mode
15. “Skin Deep” by ALL
16. “She’s My Ex” by ALL
17. “Where Are They Now?” by Cock Sparrer
18. “A Girl Like You” by The Smithereens
19. “Under Your Influence” by Dag Nasty
20. “Fall” by Dag Nasty
21. “Hope” by Descendents
22. “Silly Girl” by Descendents
23. “Clean Sheets” by Descendents
24. “Little Fury Things” by Dinosaur Jr.
25. “Freak Scene” by Dinosaur Jr.
26. “Still in Hollywood” by Concrete Blonde
27. “Punk Rock Girl” by The Dead Milkmen
28. “Don’t Let’s Start” by They Might Be Giants
29. “Ana Ng” by They Might Be Giants
30. “Rise” by Public Image Limited
31. “Seattle” by Public Image Limited
32. “Brave Captain” by fIREHOSE
33. “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division
34. “Listen Like Thieves” by INXS
35. “No Control” by Bad Religion
36. “Do What You Want” by Bad Religion
37. “Annette’s Got the Hits” by Redd Kross
38. “Party at Ground Zero” by Fishbone
39. “Teenagers from Mars” by The Misfits
40. “Where Eagles Dare” by The Misfits
41. “Astro Zombies” by The Misfits
42. “Unity” by Operation Ivy
43. “Knowledge” by Operation Ivy
44. “Elvis is Everywhere” by Mojo Nixon
45. “Closer to Fine” by The Indigo Girls
46. “Start Today” by Gorilla Biscuits
47. “Sitting Around at Home” by Gorilla Biscuits
48. “The Killing Moon” by Echo & the Bunnymen
49. “Bring on the Dancing Horses” by Echo & the Bunnymen
50. “Waiting Room” by Fugazi
51. “Bad Mouth” by Fugazi
52. “Makes No Sense at All” by Husker Du
53. “Flip Your Wig” by Husker Du
54. “These Important Years” by Husker Du
55. “Could You Be The One?” by Husker Du
56. “Straight Edge” by Minor Threat
57. “Think Again” by Minor Threat
58. “Salad Days” by Minor Threat
59. “This Ain’t No Picnic” by The Minutemen
60. “# 1 Hit Song” by The Minutemen
61. “Stigmata” by Ministry
62. “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel
63. “Here Comes Your Man” by The Pixies
64. “Monkey Gone to Heaven” by The Pixies
65. “Gigantic” by The Pixies
66. “Down In It” by Nine Inch Nails
67. “Head Like a Hole” by Nine Inch Nails
68. “Radio Free Europe” by R.E.M.
69. “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville” by R.E.M.
70. “Fall On Me” by R.E.M.
71. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M.
72. “Mommy’s Little Monster” by Social Distortion
73. “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds
74. “Alive and Kicking” by Simple Minds
75. “Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order
76. “Temptation” by New Order
77. “Teen Age Riot” by Sonic Youth
78. “Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads
79. “Our House” by Madness
80. “I Melt with You” by Modern English
81. “If You Leave” by OMD
82. “Pretty in Pink” by The Psychedelic Furs
83. “We Care a Lot” by Faith No More
84. “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash
85. “In Between Days” by The Cure
86. “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure
87. “Close to Me” by The Cure
88. “We Got the Beat” by The Go-Go’s
89. “Vacation” by The Go-Go’s
90. “Just Like Honey” by The Jesus and Mary Chain
91. “Head On” by The Jesus and Mary Chain
92. “Happy When It Rains” by The Jesus and Maru Chain
93. “Wild in the Streets” by The Circle Jerks
94. “Live Fast Die Young” by The Circle Jerks
95. “If I Should Fall from Grace with God” by The Pogues
96. “Bastards of Young” by The Replacements
97. “Left of the Dial” by The Replacements
98. “I Will Dare” by The Replacements
99. “Within Your Reach” by The Replacements
100. “This Charming Man” by The Smiths
101. “How Soon is Now” by The Smiths
102. “What Difference Does it Make?” by The Smiths
103. “Rock This Town” by The Stray Cats
104. “I Will Follow” by U2
105. “Gloria” by U2
106. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2
107. “Pride (In the Name of Love)” by U2
108. “Bad” by U2
109. “I Held Her in My Arms” by Violent Femmes
110. “Kiss Off” by Violent Femmes
111. “Add It Up” by Violent Femmes
112. “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes
113. “Johnny Hit and Run Pauline” by X
114. “Los Angeles” by X
115. “Sink with Kalifornia” by Youth Brigade
116. “New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones” by Fear
117. “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus
118. “Jane Says” by Janes Addiction
119. “Take the Skinheads Bowling” by Camper Van Beethovan
120. “Institutionalized” by Suicidal Tendencies
121. “Pay to Cum” by Bad Brains
122. “Dear God” by XTC
123. “Going Underground” by The Jam
124. “Higher Ground” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
125. “Knock Me Down” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
126. “Knock Me Down” by The Outlets

This is just a sampling of the great music that was released in the 80’s (which took me three days of blogging time to put together). For those interested, I highly suggest the boxed set Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the 80s Underground as a great starting point for the alternative scene of the 1980s.

The Otter Limits: The Essential Washington Albums & Butt Rock

Here are the latest installments of the Essentials series from our good friend over at The Otter Limits – Washington Albums and Butt Rock.

Al won

It’s official. Al Franken has won the US senate seat in Minnesota...for now. Republican Norm Coleman will most likely take to the courts, so this is sadly far from over. In fact, Minnesota’s Secretary of State Mark Ritchie stated “We're not doing anything today that declares winners or losers or anything to that effect.” There are those who have accused Franken on voter fraud. It also seems that the Senate Democrats will probably not seat Franken anytime soon.

As some readers pointed out in my last post on this subject, it is very possible that Coleman is the one that should give it up and let Franken have the seat. At least then the seat wouldn’t have the taint of a dirty election (even if it wasn’t dirty) and Coleman could later claim to have taken the moral high ground (whether or not he did wouldn’t really matter). The probably with any election that is decided by the courts is that it feels dirty. In this case both sides could be completely innocent of any wrong doings (or both could be guilty as sin, which is probably the case) but the perception will be that no matter who wins, those who opposed will claim that the “victor” stole the election (again see the Presidential election of 2000). This cannot end well.

Admittedly I know very little about either Coleman or Franken (more about Franken thanks to his days on SNL). The impression that I get of both is that they are typical politicians that are hungry for power (which is kind of sad for Al considering he just became a politician). I trust neither man, but I could be wrong about both of them. No matter how this turns out, those on the “losing” side will be bitter and will carry a grudge making life for the “winner” even more difficult than it already was going to be. Anytime this person speaks, walks, or breaks-wind someone is going to be writing about it online with contempt and hatred, twisting and turning what was said or done to fit their political agendas. But I guess that is the price that you pay for wanting the power and spotlight.

Historians take on Wal-Mart

This is an interesting story. It seems that Wal-Mart corporation wants to build a Super Center within a “canyon shot” of an important Civil War battlefield.

As with any story, there are two sides to this. The local government sees the Super Center as a potential for increased tax revenue and overall local economic growth (Wal-Mart is one of the few companies doing well right now). Those opposed believe that the Super Center would be an affront to the history of our nation stating, in a letter sent to Wal-Mart’s CEO from over 200 known and respected historians, scholars, and others “The Wilderness is an indelible part of our history, its very ground hallowed by the American blood spilled there, and it cannot be moved.”

On this I am going to side with the historians. There is no reason to develop an important battlefield site into a Wal-Mart. I am sure there is plenty of other locations that would be perfect for the Super Center and those should be sought out. Leave the battlefield alone.

A News Years Resolution we should all consider

Be polite.

The Otter Limits: The Essential Epitaph Records

Here is Steve’s picks for the Essential songs released by Epitaph Records. I am going to do my own version of this post, but instead of listing songs I am going to list albums. It will take me a while to put together though.

Give it up!

Am I the only person out there that wishes that Al Franken would just give it up? Does the state of Minnesota (and the nation for that matter) really need another election decided by the courts?

At this point no matter who “wins” this election it will be contested and questioned for at least the next six years (just look at how the shenanigans on 2000 have followed and haunted President Bush). Do we really need that? At this point in our history, is this what America needs or wants?

What I have learned by watching this Senate race is that winning is more important than anything, even if that means winning at any cost. (Note – As far as I am concerned, both sides have acted pathetically selfish and power hungry and it would be best is neither went to the Senate later this month.)

How much do you text?

According to this story, texting is a rip-off. It’s a good thing I have unlimited texting included in my plan.

I wonder though, on average do more people text or talk on their cell phones? That would be an interesting survey.

Starting, but not finishing

I have noticed a somewhat disturbing trend in my reading patterns lately. I start books, but then don’t finish them. For example, I have been reading Under God: Religion and Politics in America by Garry Wills and while I have enjoyed it and learned a lot about the election of 1988, the book just hasn’t grabbed me. I am also part-way into Magic Kingdom for Sale, Sold! By Terry Brooks, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams, The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, and The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis, just to name a few.

Yesterday the family and I headed down to the Moore library and I walked out with yet another stack of books. Last night I started two of them: J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth, Morality and Religion by Richard L. Purtill and Blue Dixie: Awakening the South’s Democratic Majority by Bob Moser. So far both are quite interesting, but I wonder if I will finish them.

Part of my problem is that my reading is often dictated by my mood. Some moods lead me to books about politics, some to books about history, some to books about religion, and some to novels (most of the time of the fantasy variety). So I will get into a particular mood and want to read one type of book. I’ll get into said book but after a while my mood shifts and I end up putting that book down and picking up another one. Maybe I am getting ADD in my old age, but it bothers me that in the last few months I have started more books than I have finished.

Does anyone else run into this?

Prince going DIY

Prince plans to release three albums this year all on his own. The purple prince is apparently in talks with a “major retailer” to carry the physical CDs while releasing the digital versions through his website.

My hats off to Prince. This guy has pretty much done his own thing for 30+ years and never seemed to care how popular it was. I wish him the best of luck with these new projects.

In a story that is destined to end well…

Nine Muslims were removed from a flight from Washington, D.C. to Florida after other passengers heard “suspicious remarks.”

There are so many different sides, angels, and possibilities to this story that it is mind boggling. The other passengers could have misheard something that was said; the words of the Muslim passengers could have been taken out of context; the other passengers could be scared of Muslims due to the events of 9/11, the wars in the Middle-East, and general negative coverage of Muslims in the media, or worse they could be biased or bigoted against Muslims; or the Muslims could have been terrorists. We may (and probably will) never know for sure.

There will be those who automatically assume that the Muslims are guilty of plotting a terrorist attack (I can think of a few local bloggers who will most likely take this stance). Then there will be those who automatically assume that the Muslims are completely innocent and victims of a bigoted system. The reality is probably a bit more complicated than either extreme. Because I tend to think the best of people until they give me a reason not to (I am a firm believer in giving people the benefit of the doubt), my assumption is that this situation was a misunderstanding caused by a variety of factors (see paragraph above) with the most probable cause being something heard in passing and out of context by the other passengers followed by overreactions. I could of course be wrong, but we do have a provision in our Constitution that states that people are innocent until proven guilty.

However this case turns out, I sure that it is going to be a bumpy ride until the end.

Why keep printing?

The Federal Reserve continues to print and pump more and more money, but why? Won’t continuously pumping more and more money into the system just devalue what is already there? Some think it will, but are they right?

I am no economic expert, but I am great concerned by the actions of the Federal Reserve, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the handling of the $700 billion bailout. Things have the potential to spiral completely out of control with the economy and I have little faith in those running the show. I will give the new team some time before passing judgment on their performances but I hope and pray that they do a better job than their predecessors.

So why keep printing money? What is the reason? What could hope to be gained? Anyone who has those answers is smarter than I.

Atheists taking to the courts

In two separate but somewhat related stories…

Headline # 1: Solider alleges patern of Christian bias

Headline # 2: Atheists File Lawsuit Over Inauguration

The first story discusses a lawsuit brought by an atheist solider who claims “a larger pattern of religious discrimination exists in the military.” The second story discusses a lawsuit brought various atheists and non-religious groups who “demand that the words ‘so help me God’ not be added to the end of the president's oath of office.”

The first of these lawsuits has some merit while the second is just a waist in my opinion. Yes the proponents of the second suit do have a valid legal argument, but what’s the point? If Obama, a religious man, wants to express some of this belief by evoking Providence, then so be it. By doing so he is in no way creating or endorsing a church, he is simply expressing his own beliefs. In and of itself, that is not unconstitutional.

With all of the problems facing our nation in the coming year, is this really what we should be focusing on?

Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies

Here is MovieFone’s take on the Top 25 science fiction movies of all time.

The Otter Limits: The Essential Pink Floyd and Tooth & Nail Records

Here are Steve’s latest editions of the Essentials series – Punk Floyd and Tooth & Nail Records.

I really liked the Tooth & Nail list. I have known of the label for years, so it was cool to learn a bit more about it. Good job Steve!

Happy New Year!

I wish you all the best in life and love in 2009! Keep fighting the good fight.

The Essential Riverdales

When Screeching Weasel broke up the second time, three of the band’s core members Ben Foster (a.k.a. Ben Weasel, on guitar), Dan Schafer (a.k.a. Dan Vapid, on bass), and Dan Sullivan (a.k.a. Dan Panic, on drums) formed The Riverdales. The Riverdales were in a way a minimalist version of Screeching Weasel, but were honestly more. In this band Foster and Schafer traded off lead vocal and song writing duties (Foster wrote most of Screeching Weasel’s songs and sang them all, but Schafer did help write most of their classic album My Brain Hurts). The band started in 1995 and recorded three EPs and two full length albums before breaking up in 1997 (to concentrate on the reunited Screeching Weasel, I believe). The Riverdales reunited in 2003 to record their third full length album (this time with Dan Lumley on drums). The band has since taken a hiatus but there are grumblings of a new album to be released in 2009.

You can find out more about The Riverdales at their official web site, official MySpace page, Wikipedia, and AllMusic.com.

1. “Fun Tonight” (from The Riverdales)
2. “Judy Go Home” (from The Riverdales)
3. “Back To You” (from The Riverdales)
4. “Not Over Me” (from The Riverdales)
5. “She’s Gonna Break Your Heart” (from The Riverdales)
6. “I Think About You During the Commercials” (from The Riverdales)
7. “Rehabilitated” (from The Riverdales)
8. “Plan 13” (from The Riverdales)
9. “Outta Sight” (from The Riverdales)
10. “Hampton Beach” (from The Riverdales)
11. “I Won’t Forget You” (from The Riverdales)
12. “No Sense” (from The Riverdales)
13. “Make Way” (from Storm the Streets)
14. “Don’t Let Them Beat My Baby” (from Storm the Streets)
15. “Riverdale Stomp” (from Storm the Streets)
16. “I Will Make It Up To You” (from Storm the Streets)
17. “Blood on the Ice” (from Storm the Streets)
18. “I Don’t Wanna Go to the Party” (from Storm the Streets)
19. “Homesick” (from Phase Three)
20. “Look Me Up” (from Phase Three)
21. “Wait It Out” (from Phase Three)
22. “Getaway” (from Phase Three)
23. “I Believe in You and Me” (from Phase Three)
24. “Party at the Beach” (from Phase Three)
25. “Last Stop Tokyo” (from Phase Three)

Encroaching authoritarianism?

Bill Wilson has written an interesting piece in reaction to the call for a Department of Culture. In the piece he states that a department of this kind is a potential encroachment of authoritarian rule into the government and sites examples of similar departments in the Nazi and Soviet regimes.

While I do not believe that the Obama administration will have any authoritarian desires, I do wonder if there is future potential for such abuses of power. The example that has been set by the Bush administration in the abuse-of-power category is monumental and so there is the potential and possibility that some future administration could twist things into something that we don’t recognize.

In the case of this Department of Culture, I have to admit that I know very little. I’m not sure what the point of such a department would be, but again my research on the subject is lacking. Does anyone out there know anything about this?