tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21640119604068264392024-03-12T18:10:12.772-07:00Dialyze This!"Teach a man to reason, and he'll Think for a lifetime." "How do you convince someone they're not thinking clearly... WHEN THEY'RE NOT THINKING CLEARLY!?" -- Dr. Phil Plait.Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-57315614179616647992012-02-18T11:10:00.000-08:002012-02-18T11:10:14.993-08:00Environmental Bullshit: PART #2<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What the fuck are we <span class="spelle">gonna</span> do? In Africa, Drought continues for the 6<sup>th</sup> consecutive year. Record Rain in parts of the US, the Middle East, and Japan, have caused some of the Worst Flooding in centuries. New England, and Northern Europe, have recently experienced the mildest winters within anyone’s recollection. It says right here, In Time Magazine. The weather’s gone nuts, and we Humans are to blame. We have Fucked up the Environment, and now we’re going to pay for it. Scientists are telling us, we’re heading into a new… … “Ice Age?” What? But it’s from Time Magazine. Monday, June 24<sup>th</sup>, … 1974. Oh Man, I’ve got to stop picking up 30 year old magazines at my dentist’s office. And that’s not a Joke! That’s the real article from Time Magazine from June, 1974. Yeah, 4 decades ago, pretty much everybody thought we had fucked up the earth with carless and selfish fossil fuel emissions. We were heading into an Ice Age! Now those same emissions are causing Global warming. But no worries. You may be a Carbon Sinner, but now you can buy yourselves a clean, green conscience, for Cash. It’s a new craze based on Eco-Guilt, and it’s Bullshit! For those of you who feel guilty about your impact on the planet, or want to reduce your carbon footprint, you can buy “Carbon Credits.” You drive a smog-blasting SUV, buy a few credits, and you are now carbon Neutral. <br />
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<i>“In the late middle ages, the Catholic Church thought up a Diabolical way to bring in more Cash. They sent out Professional Pardoners to visit the Sinful, that is Everybody, and tell them that for a bit of Cash, their sins would be forgiven. Fork over the cash and no Penance, and no time in Purgatory. They called these ‘get out of Hell Free’ cards ‘Indulgences.’ And they Sure weren’t Free. The bigger the sin, the pricier the Indulgence. So suffer eternal Agony, Cut back on the fun of Sinning,… or pay the Fun tax. These “Sin Credits” were a big Money Maker until Martin Luther came along, and Cried… ‘Bullshit!’”—Penn <span class="spelle">Jillette</span> (Bullshit: Episode 6, Season 6)</i> What does this have to do with carbon Credits? If I have to explain the correlation… Oh, Christ. <br />
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Go Online, and search “Carbon Credits.” Go Ahead, I’ll wait. Google brings up thousands of Companies that offer the opportunity to buy Carbon Credits. Claiming they will Invest the money you give them in Renewable energy, or environmental projects (like planting trees, etc.). Ok, fine… but be aware that there are no Scientific Standards for determining the cost of your “Credit.” Carbon Credit companies make their own formula, and charge whatever they want. And there are no ‘watchdogs’ to make sure they actually invest that money properly. So basically you give them money, and they can do whatever the fuck they want with it. There is nothing to stop them from pissing your money away on whatever frivolous junk they want. The most Famous of these websites is Run by Al Gore. Yes, you can’t talk Carbon Credits, or the Environment, without mentioning Al Gore. It’s an EPA thing. Not “Environmental Protection Agency.” “<b>Egregiously Pushy Asshole!!”</b> An investigation done in 2006, by the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, revealed that Al Gore uses 20 times more energy than the average person. That’s right. The greatest American Eco-Hero, is an Energy Hog. His 20 room mansion used over 191,000 Kilowatts, as opposed to the average home that uses around 11,000 kilowatts. Every Month, Al Gore uses more energy, than any of us will in 17 months! So, Al isn’t as worried as he says we all should be. When this research was uncovered in 2007, Gore’s people didn’t deny it. Instead they said he was in the process of installing solar panels, and had swapped some of his incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent ones. What a Martyr! To offset the Damage he admits he’s causing to the environment, he buys Carbon Credits… from himself! Al Gore owns the website, and the company that operates it (Generation Investment Management), and makes money when you buy carbon credits through his Company. Gore started that private company in 2004, 2 years before his Oscar Winning movie was released. Kind of an “Inconvenient Truth” eh? So, what was the reaction to the TCPR digging up this information? Well, TCPR received thousands of angry letters, and Dozens of Death threats. To these people Al Gore is a prophet, and by exposing this information by completely Legal and legitimate means, they attacked their prophet. Al has convinced hundreds of thousands of people to buy Carbon Credits from his website, and is making a fortune off your guilt. Ever wonder why he is pushing all this “go Green” crap?! When you feel guilty about your carbon footprint, Al Gore makes a lot of “Green.” With all of Al Gore’s “Followers,” you’d think he’d actually done something, other than a Power-point Slideshow exaggerating the dangers of global warming. Well he did win an Oscar, that’s a “Science” Prize right? And he won the Nobel Prize for peace. Because prophesying Doom is… Peaceful? John Coleman, you may remember him from Part 1 (the guy who announced that “Global Warming is a Scam”), has challenged Al Gore to Dozens of Debates on the issue, but Al will have no part of it. According to Al’s Deputy Press Secretary… “Mr. Gore doesn’t debate Global Warming.” That’s a direct quote!! Hmm, odd. Is his position so weak and flimsy that it can’t stand up to a simple debate, or exchange of ideas? Sounds kind of like religion, doesn’t it. They don’t debate God, either. Wow, the similarities to Religion are uncanny. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A man by the name of Roger Revelle, you have probably never heard of him, is the Grandfather of the Global warming myth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also happens to be the personal mentor of Al Gore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the 1960’s Revelle was working as a professor at Harvard University where he would eventually meet his young pupil, Al Gore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would Involve Gore, and some of his classmates, in the tabulating of data from a carbon dioxide study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gore was so impressed by this, he included it in his 1992 book “The Earth and the Balance” which would later become “An Inconvenient Truth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no doubt that Roger Revelle had a huge impact on Gore. But there is a twist! In 1988, Revelle was having second thoughts about whether or not Carbon Dioxide was a significant greenhouse gas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1991 he co-authored a report for the new science magazine Cosmos in which he expressed his strong doubts about global warming, and urged more research before any remedial action was taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that point Mr. Gore announced that Revelle was senile and refused to debate global warming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A refusal he holds onto today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later in 1991 Roger Revelle gave what was to be his last speech at very private, very powerful, summer enclave of powerful men and politicians at the Bohemian Grove in Northern California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There, he apologized for his research and for sending so many people in the wrong direction on global warming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Revelle had realized that it was a false alarm, and that the science was flawed before he died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He passed away of a heart attack in late 1991. so, Al didn’t do his homework; he just took what his professor said and ran with it. He may honestly believe in global warming, or he may be totally full of shit (I’m leaning towards “Full of Shit” myself), but regardless of that, it’s still just one man’s opinion, whether he really believes it or not.<b> </b>“Every bit of my Bullshit Detector goes off like crazy over Global Warming, and every <span class="spelle">fuckin</span> thing Al Gore says. He seems to me like a lying sack of shit who’s wrong about everything. He seems that way to me, but my feeling on that is a ‘feeling’ and if there’s one thing we all believe (referring to skeptics) it’s that that’s not enough.”—Penn <span class="spelle">Jillette</span> at TAM 6 in Las Vegas, NV.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For some of the poorest people on the planet, our being green can affect their survival. How? Al Gore, and his green Followers, are trying to pass new regulations and Carbon Taxes that will end up raising the global price of fuel. Fuel people in 3<sup>rd</sup> world countries need to cook, or pump water. Fuel to get their crops to market, their Kids to school or to a doctor. “When you talk about raising the price of energy to them, you’re going to kill people. Just like the environmentally induced ban on DDT years ago has resulted in tens of millions of deaths.”-- John Charles. But still, all you have to do is just mention Al Gore’s Name, and people will say, and do, just about anything.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">John Charles is the President of Cascade Policy Institute, a free-market Think-Tank, in Portland, Oregon. “I don’t see the reason to Demonize Carbon. It’s an essential element In the Earth’s climate control system, and if we didn’t have it, it would be too cold for humanity to be here.” Yes, without Carbon Dioxide, our little Blue-Green Planet would be a little White Ice Ball. “97% of CO2 emitted every year, around the world, is naturally caused, only about 3% are caused by Humans.” All 7 BILLION of us! (Didn’t I mention this before? Oh yeah, I Did. But I felt the need to mention it again!) So if he’s right, and he’s not my only source, India, China, US Factories, Cars, Coal energy Plants, and Hummers (Not those Hummers), are generating only 3% of the Earths CO2. The biggest sources are Decaying Plants, Volcanoes, and Forest Fires. John was the executive Director of the Oregon Environmental Council for 17 years. So maybe he does know what he’s talking about. “If it’s an average citizen, some Mom or Dad, who wants to tell their child that they’re carbon neutral, it’s sort of about feeling good about themselves… to me it’s kind of like buying and selling Pet Rocks.” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This whole issue comes down to “do you know?” And the answer has to be “No.” We have evidence that the planet is getting warmer. We also have evidence that it was a frozen ball of ice 15 miles thick at least once in its past. There is evidence of periods of high heat, and full planet Jungles (oh, about 70 million years ago), and Ice ages as recent as 25,000 years ago. The planet heats and Cools no matter what we do. This ball of rock has been around for a little over 4.5 Billion years. And has been capable of supporting life for a little over 2.5 Billion. We’ve been burning fossil fuels for a little over 200 years. 200 years versus four and a half Billion!! I have a feeling the Planet will be just fine. In fact, it will likely be here LONG after we’re gone.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I know what some of you are saying, “Why doesn’t he just grow a dick, and say that “Global warming is all Bullshit’. “ I’d love to, but… I have a confession to make. I don’t know! Sorry, I worked on it, I just don’t know. I know that <span class="spelle">Feng</span> <span class="spelle">Shui</span> is Bullshit, and the Bible is total Bullshit, but Global Warming… I just don’t know. There is good evidence on both sides, but we haven’t been looking into it long enough to really get any definable data. There is evidence the planet is getting warmer, but we can’t be sure we’re causing it. And if we did cause, we don’t know if we can fix it. And if we can fix it… we don’t know how. We just don’t Fucking Know! But Cutting back our quality of life is not the right way to fix things. Shit…. I’m not even sure of that. One thing I do know, 100%, is that it won’t do us any good to buy forgiveness from an asshole who is making a fortune off your guilt. You good people who really want to help, if you really feel you need forgiveness for how good your life is, well… you’ve done your penance. You want to help, and that’s good enough for me. By my power, which is exactly the same as the Pope’s, and Al Gore’s, you are now all forgiven! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Credits/Sources: Penn & Teller: Bullshit!. The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, The James Randi Educational Foundation, JunkScience.com, Generation Investment Management (not in a good way), John Coleman <a href="https://mail.shanehomes.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WmxFkPloaY%26feature=youtube_gdata_player" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WmxFkPloaY&feature=youtube_gdata_player</span></a>(the founder of the weather channel, and the weather man from good morning America in the 70’s), the Weather network, Environment Canada website, Bjorn <span class="spelle">Lumborg</span>: The Skeptical Environmentalist, Jerry Taylor: Director of Natural Resource Studies at the CATO institute, <a href="https://mail.shanehomes.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://uscentrist.org/about/issues/environment/john_coleman" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="color: blue;">http://uscentrist.org/about/issues/environment/john_coleman</span></span></a>, Cascade Policy Institute, <a href="https://mail.shanehomes.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.lomborg.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.lomborg.com/</span></a>. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-35140367699534775422012-02-12T22:33:00.000-08:002012-02-12T22:33:09.074-08:00Environmental Bullshit!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><em><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hey! To my whole 2 followers, I’m Back! I realized I haven’t posted anything thought provoking since October 11th!! Holy crap! The research for this post took me months to gather, and with other posts still ongoing, it has taken a while to put together. But hey, here we go. I hope I’m not alienating my only 2 followers, but this is something I just had to get off my chest. I know damn well I’m probably not going to change anybody’s mind here, but really… this needed to be said. So hopefully it doesn’t piss too many people off.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></em></div><em> </em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><em>This is such a big issue, and garners so much attention and media air time that I had to break it up into 2 parts. I will likely post more on this topic at another time, but for now, 2 parts seem to cover it. Like previous posts, I edited it down by a page or two so it wouldn’t be too much to take in. Enjoy Part 1.<o:p></o:p></em></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Environmental Bullshit: PART #1</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Every day, we are bombarded with the news that we are destroying the planet. The Ice caps are melting, Rivers are dying, Polar Bears are drowning, and Trees are doing something. I won’t be traveling the globe to get this information, that would be environmentally irresponsible. Instead I’m going to use the Internet, and my all time favorite tool, You Tube, to search for credited Studies, Reliable scientists, and Documentaries, to try to put it all into perspective. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In 1971, the first official earth day was organized to protest the impending catastrophe of Burning fossil fuels. The Impending Ice Age. Yep, Ice age. But I’ll go into more detail on that later. Now it’s 2011, and that same day is to protest the growing catastrophe of Global Warming. But is it the same catastrophe as it was in 1971? Or is it a different catastrophe? Or is it the same catastrophe, but now it’s REALLY a catastrophe, where as 40 years ago it wasn’t that bad a catastrophe, even though at the time they said it was. It gets really confusing, all this Environmental Hysteria. What I do know is… there’s some Bullshit here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Scientists can “Confirm” Global warming all day long. Hell, I’ll even say it… “Global warming is happening.” But it’s not for the reasons you think it is. The issue isn’t that the planet is getting warmer, because it is. I won’t argue that the planet isn’t getting warmer. I’ve seen it for myself; the weather is changing over the last 30 years. The issue that keeps coming up is whether or not Humans are responsible for Global warming. I don’t believe we are. The planet goes through cycles of heating and cooling. In the 1970’s scientists were convinced, and the data showed, that the planet was getting colder. They predicted that by 2020 we would be entering an Ice age. Then in the early 90’s, they flipped on us, and began the “Global Warming” debate. Stats showed that in the 80’s and 90’s the planet was getting warmer, and everyone shifted their views. Now, since they can’t decide if it’s Global warming, or global cooling, it’s become “Global Climate Change.” That covers everything. That way no matter the situation (because it will change again), they’re covered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Most of the environmental movement is composed of white, middle class people, who are incorrectly telling people in the rest of the world what to do. Where people don’t live in nice houses, don’t have clean drinking water, and good health standards. I think the Environmental movement is basically ‘Elitist.’” – Patrick Moore—Ecologist, Environmentalist, & former President, and one of the Founders of Greenpeace. “Basically they are using sensation, misinformation, and scare tactics. The environmental movement was basically High jacked by political and social activists, who came in and very cleverly learned how to use ‘Green rhetoric’ or ‘green language’ to cloak agendas that had more to do with Anti-corporatism, Anti-Globalization, Anti-Business, and had very little to do with Science or Ecology. That’s when I left.” He left Greenpeace, the organization he founded, because they were no longer about environmentalism, but completely Anti-Corporation, Anti-Globalization. That should tell you something about the movement. When one of the founders of Greenpeace leaves the organization, there is something horribly wrong!! “It makes no sense to be against Globalization, when their main tools are Cell phones and the Internet.” Guess what, you’re a part of Globalization. You’re against globalization, but you use it every day. Cars and Airplanes to get to their rallies. Cell phones, <span class="spelle">Facebook</span>, My-space, Twitter, to organize rallies. Banks to store funds. It’s incredibly hypocritical. You’re part of Globalization, so how can you be against it? “No one’s going to Listen to you if you say the world’s not coming to an end, but if you say it is coming to an end, You get Headlines. And so, sensationalism, especially when it’s combined with Misinformation, leads to a situation where people send gobs of money to these groups for campaigns that are actually totally misguided.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s important to note that if you are “Pro Socialism”, or “Anti Globalism” or “Anti Corporation,” those are all very fine, Debatable, Ideas. But cloaking them in Environmentalism is Bullshit. Just say what you mean. Don’t say ‘Corporations are bad because the water is worse today,’ because the water isn’t worse today. I’m not going to say there are <i>No</i> good arguments for socialism, but the Environment, isn’t one of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“The Campaign against Forestry is a classic case of absolutely, and totally, misleading the General public. It’s true that we are losing forests in the tropics of this world, but it’s not because of Logging Companies. It’s because of poor people, millions of them, who are trying to make a living and grow some food for their families. The fact is, in North America, there is still as much forest as there was 100 years ago, and the reason there is so much forest is because we use wood, because cut trees down to make our houses. But the environmental groups have got people thinking that when you go into a lumberyard to buy wood you’re causing the forest to be destroyed. But in fact what you are doing is ordering new trees to be planted. It is something we have to do to in order to feed and house the 7 billion people on this Earth.” -- Patrick Moore. “There’s a tendency among Environmental groups to resort to Emotionalism, kind of 100%. To talk about how the tree is ‘alive’, and has ‘feelings’ and that ‘it hurts it when you cut it down’, and that sort of stuff. I mean, that’s pretty well Kindergarten talk. It’s not true. Trees are plants, just like carrots and cabbages.” But it’s tough to get money to save carrots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the things about Environmentalism is that for years and years and years, these people have been guilt tripped for having a nice car, a big house, for sending a kid to a nice school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that’s what environmentalism is today, it’s a way for people to get rid of guilt feelings they have about the way they live.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another thing these Environmentalists will try to convince us of, is that we are heading towards “massive species extinction” in the next 20 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Greenpeace, and the World Wildlife Fund actually try to convince us that 50,000 species are going extinct every year in this world, when there isn’t a single shred of evidence for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>99% of all the creatures that have ever lived on this planet are extinct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It happens!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They say that it’s all because of Logging, of course they love to blame Logging for just about everything bad in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, it’s absolutely preposterous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no evidence for 50,000 species going extinct; the best science tells us that less than 1% of the species in this world will go extinct in the next 100 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People care more about species now than they used to, so when species go towards the brink of extinction, we generally put programs in place to help them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a good thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to scare people into thinking that half the worlds species are going to die off in the next 50 years is absolutely irresponsible!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The really is no need to spread guilt and fear about the environment, the solution side is to try to figure out how to do things better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to have campaigns against everything in the world, but rather to have campaigns in which you are shifting from the way you did things before, into a new way that still provides the goods and services we need but do so at less cost to the environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another point to be made about these protestors is “Do they really understand what they are protesting?” To answer this question, “Penn & Teller’s Bullshit” played a little prank on Protestors in Washington DC in 2006. They Hired an actress, and a film crew, to go around collecting signatures for a petition to ban <span class="spelle"><i>Dyhydrogen</i></span><i> Monoxide.</i> <b><u>H2O</u></b>. Water. Yeah, plain old water. The protestors at the rally eagerly signed the petition without even thinking about it. The petition collected over 2000 signatures in a single day. When the actress finally tipped them off to what they were signing, they all had a good laugh and walked away. But, it’s important to note that they signed… <b>without even asking </b>what <span class="spelle">Dyhydrogen</span> Monoxide was. They didn’t even ask! They just wanted to be “Joiners.” And that’s a sad fact about the environmental movement. Most people are just joining in order to feel less guilty.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“If you read any paper, you can read a lot stories about environmental disasters. But what you have to understand is Bad news sells! “--Bjorn <span class="spelle">Lumborg</span>. <span class="spelle">Lumborg</span> is Public enemy #1 among environmentalists. His Book “The Skeptical Environmentalist” pissed them off more than a Ford Excursion carrying only 1 person. I haven’t personally read it (I’m still working on ‘The God Delusion,’ and ‘God, No!’), but it’s on my list of books to read in 2012. “It’s important to get the record straight. If our understanding is Based on Myths, then we’re likely to make bad judgments.” And it happens to all of us. We get indoctrinated from about Grade 2 to believe that Recycling will save us from ourselves. We’re told that Garbage will bury us alive, and that we’re destroying our Planet. You tell children that the sky is falling, and they will believe it. And if they are never taught to look into it themselves, they will hold those ideals well into adulthood. It’s the same with Religion. You indoctrinate children to believe in God, Hell, the Devil, etc. and they hold onto that long into Adulthood, regardless of all evidence to the contrary. The Evidence is there, but people refuse to look at it because they are holding onto what they were taught as a child without looking at the data themselves. “What I’ve done here is tried to look at the data that we’ve taken for granted that says ‘Everything is going downhill.’ As it turns out… No it’s not.” His extensive research shows that right now, the health of the planet is improving on almost all fronts. And in areas where it’s not getting better, it’s getting worse at a much slower rate than in years past. So this guy looked at the same Data, and came up with the opposite conclusion. And that’s not the end of Bjorn’s heresy, he’s raised the ire of his critics because he doesn’t believe in just throwing money at environmental problems. “A lot of the environmentalists will tell us ‘if this is a good cause we should do it. It shouldn’t matter how much it costs.’ Using a cost- benefit analysis is somehow Immoral. It somehow put a price tag on Life, or a price tag on Birds singing, and that seems immoral. I can certainly understand that <i>emotional</i> response, because I feel exactly the same emotional response. But, my argument is to say the danger of the ‘doomsday is waiting around the corner’ is that we are prioritizing incorrectly.” But to even suggest a lowering of the Volume makes the environmentalists even more hysterical. “We need to get the debate back to a level where we say ‘<i>hmm, this is a good idea, this might be a little better, this is certainly not worth doing right now, this is a very important issue</i>.’ That way we can discuss this in a fairly level headed manner. That’s the only way we can ensure we get correct, and good, prioritization in a democratic debate.” A serious ‘Level Headed’ Debate. Unfortunately these things don’t happen because to Environmentalists, the Environment is like a religion. And saying anything to the contrary is tantamount to Heresy, or blasphemy. So a levelheaded debate on the environment is almost impossible. I know from personal experience. My closest friends, family, and co-workers have talked down to me simply because I was asking the same questions I’m asking here. “Is this all worth it?” And “Is this really going to help?” If it is 100% un-debatable, then why is the data so scattered, and why do so many people disagree? If this issue is infallible, why is there still debate? Because there <b><i>always</i></b> has to be Debate.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5BwZXcWeyNJRVYQ6YBi7kn6EHRoZLCEEvsGdbELTVh_IWYEyZ2-3fu5-2IafajMLzZQ-qGBJDbcxTqeQUI0kQ9DQBMrTgcf9Epb-AFhe6RMlbZ6BWpv7omxAYwW3gvFzO5G3hcvcQwOF/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5BwZXcWeyNJRVYQ6YBi7kn6EHRoZLCEEvsGdbELTVh_IWYEyZ2-3fu5-2IafajMLzZQ-qGBJDbcxTqeQUI0kQ9DQBMrTgcf9Epb-AFhe6RMlbZ6BWpv7omxAYwW3gvFzO5G3hcvcQwOF/s320/untitled.png" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">John Coleman, the weatherman from “Good Morning America” in the 1960’s, and the founder of the Weather channel, is a bit less friendly about the whole situation. He has gone on Record calling Global warming “a Scam!” He has put together a graph that compares our use of oil & Gas over the last 100 years, and compared it to the temperatures and the Sun’s energy output. Oil & gas continues to rise, but the </span><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">temperatures are perfectly in concert with the Sun’s output, and the solar cycles.. “I’m only concerned about the frenzy, and hype, about something that’s a total Myth. That concerns me a lot. People are going hysterical about it. It amazes me how upset some people are, and how many Billions of dollars our governments spend of our tax dollars to combat something that isn’t real.”—John Coleman. “There is absolutely global climate fluctuations. We have little ice ages, we have warm-ups, historically the Earth as vacillated through all of these, solar cycles change dramatically, ocean currents change, and all of that has a significant impact on Climate.” “ The Sun is the source of all energy on earth. Obviously nothing happens here without the Sun. “ We were taught in school about the “Great Solar Constant,” as though the sun were a big Light bulb with a consistent output. That’s just not so. It’s a big ball of Hydrogen, exploding, churning, atoms are being fused together, and new elements being formed. This process has ups and downs; it’s never uniform. So it’s obvious that since everything on earth is reliant on the sun, our temperatures would increase as the output increases, and Vice Versa. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let’s have a quick science lesson, shall we? The Sun’s energy output is never constant. It expands and contracts, several times every few hundred years or so. It does this during its normal process of burning hydrogen, etc. As it does this, it puts out more, or less energy. Evidence for this heating and cooling cycle has been found in rocks and glaciers all over the world. Yes, global Carbon emissions contribute to a “Greenhouse Effect.” But not nearly as much as you would think. All human emissions contribute only 3% of all Greenhouse gasses. <b>ALL 7 BILLION OF US!! 3%!!</b> The biggest culprits are Volcanoes; forest Fires, and Decaying plants. A single volcanic eruption anywhere will easily produce 1000 times the amount of CO2 all humans contribute at any given time. Add in, decaying plants and animals, Forest fires, Volcanic gas vents, etc. and the Methane, and CO2 levels go up, and down based on the planets natural activities, with very little influence from us. As our sun expands, it’s energy output increases sending more heat our way, warming the planet. It’s done it before, and will continue to do so for another 7-8 billion years. That, we have ZERO control over. As it contracts, and energy output lets off a little, the Earth cools down slightly. Every now and again, a bunch of factors come into play all at once, and we have an Ice age. A few volcanoes erupt, sending ash and sulfur gas into the upper atmosphere, blocking the Sun’s rays, right when the Sun is at a low energy output state, and … Temperatures Drops drastically and the planet freezes. It happened 25,000 years ago, and will happen again.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Stats show that we’ve had a 1-degree average temperature rise over the last 100 years, Globally. Yeah 1 degree. And data shows that, at worst, we may have a 2-3 degree average rise in temperature over the next 100 years. Seems pretty manageable. If humans with no Technology can handle an ice age 25,000 years ago, I think we can handle a little rise in temperature, seeing as how in the last 100 years we’ve seen the greatest increases in the standard of living in the planet’s history, greatest environmental improvements, and greatest productivity in the history of mankind over that time. “You mean my Kids will never experience -30, because they’ll be basking in a balmy -28? Oh, scare my Canadian Shorts Full!!” Daryl <span class="spelle">Makk</span> (Comedian).<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Trying to eliminate all Global CO2 emissions caused by Humans is like taking one kid out of a crowded swimming pool to reduce the pee! It’s Pointless. If the planet decides it wants to cook us, it’s <span class="spelle">gonna</span> cook us. If it decides we need to be frozen, it’ll freeze us. And there is nothing we can do about it. So why are we wasting our time and energy trying to stop something that, for all intents and purposes, can’t be stopped?? It’s a waste of precious life! All this crap is just taking away the joy of being alive. Sure, there are things you can do to make things better, but it’s economical, and time freeing, more so than anything else. Don’t have grass in your yard, unless you need it. It uses a ton of water to keep it alive. That’s fresh water we could be drinking. And your lawn mower probably runs on Gas, right? That shit’s expensive! Instead of running your AC full blast every day, if it’s not too hot, turn on a few fans and open a few windows. A natural breeze will drop the temperature in your house a few degrees. Wash your clothes in cold water. Your water heater uses a lot of energy. It will save you money. A few ideas like that. But, that’s all. A few cost saving measures, but not “Planet Saving” measures.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No one can agree on what causes Global warming, or even how bad it is. There are some scientists that say it is not happening at all. If the science is that inconclusive, if it’s possible that the weather changes in the world are a natural process, then what the fuck is all this hysteria about? <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So, the big issues for me when it comes to Global Warming claims are 1) Are we causing it? I think not, but let’s say we might be. 2) Can we fix it? Well, we don’t even know if we can. We still don’t know exactly what is causing it. We need to find that out first before we jumping to any conclusions. Without all the valid Information, you can’t make a rational decision. And, 3) Even if we can fix it, we don’t know how. But I’ll tell you one thing for sure, cutting back our quality of life is not the answer. We are not going to save the planet, if indeed the planet needs to be saved, or can be saved, by Driving Slower in smaller cars. That is not the answer. I really believe that in 30 years we’re going to look back on the environmental movement like <span class="spelle">Hoola</span>-Hoops. It’s going to just look F**kin crazy, and we’re going to wonder, “What the F**k were we thinking?”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’m going to end part one with a quote that I particularly like: <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Is passion supposed to replace common sense? We understand the desire to join up and do something important. It’s Sexy to save the world. But, you <span class="spelle">gotta</span> spend a couple of minutes to find out if you’re really saving the world and not just being herded around by some politically motivated assholes who may not really care that much about the environment, but see this as some chance to raise money for whatever they think is a good idea. No end justifies the means of lying. Of course there are real problems with the environment. It’s a Natural thing to want to save the world. To be the Hero. To purge the corruption. To Lead the Revolution! And revolutions are essential. Revolution gave us freedom. Revolution gave us Science. Without Revolution we shrivel, we die. But when we feel the ‘Sexy’ instinct to save the world, we’re especially vulnerable. If we don’t stop, and do our homework, we can waste our noblest instincts on Bullshit. It’s easy to feel like a hero… it’s a little harder to be one.” – Penn <span class="spelle">Jillette</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-53308274148397822012012-02-03T11:40:00.000-08:002012-02-03T11:41:28.695-08:00The only time of year I actully enjoy Commercials!With the super bowl right around the corner, I figure it was time to reminisce about the best of all time. No, not the games! Who watches the game anymore?? I’m talking about the best Super Bowl Commercials! In no particular order, here are the links to some of the best from the last 10 years.<br />
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Bridgestone Tires Aired this one in 2008. The Screaming Squirrel!<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkvI4NoUX6E&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Ozzy Osbourne is classic in this ad for Best Buy. “What the F**Ks a Beiber?!”<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS9sUm5Y0sg&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Snickers has had some good ones over the years. Lately the “You’re not yourself when you’re hungry” ads have starred some very famous actors and actresses. Here’s a few of the best Snickers ads.<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbpFpjLVabA&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO_uJVL8KkA&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Prior to that, Snickers used the “Not going anywhere for a while” bit. It’s a classic. Here’s a couple of my faves.<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffN9jcVcH_o&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoX-HkOcEuE&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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The Budweiser Clydesdales are a Super Bowl Tradition. Without a Clydesdale commercial, it’s just not the Superbowl. This year we’re expecting a new Spot from Budweiser, so here are some of the best from years past.<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veQAJ4qlltU&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qccLJ-slFI&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7FdJZQD5fM&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Some of the greatest spots in Superbowl history have to go to Reebok for their “Terrible Terry Tate: Office Linebacker” spots. Some spanned over 3 minutes long and took the entire commercial break. Some of the best ever. Check them out.<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU1jra7RKCQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEr3W1SccEo&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EHhwxRls2Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Pepsi has had some great ads in the past, here are a few of their best.<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkgZFI4ZT0I&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRYZPXG3eBk&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N1aOZTTA-c&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyMTSr8hbow&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Here’s a few Randoms that I just couldn’t leave out!<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDTZCgsZGeA&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_zPMdJSy9w&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STb6ZSo5CPw&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
(and that’s why dogs are Man’s best friend!)<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Best Volkswagen Commercial ever!<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Two of my All-time favorite commercials aired during the super bowl in 2010. Boomdiatta!!<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at_f98qOGY0&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0jZzBEKIMc&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br />
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Ok, well that’s some of my favorites. I hope you enjoyed them. Enjoy the Super Bowl everyone!! Go Patriots!!Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-40918962835897568582011-10-01T10:34:00.000-07:002011-10-01T10:34:01.096-07:00Friends: Present and Unaccounted for?As the years go by, I noticed many people have come and gone from my life. Friends, Family, acquaintances, co workers. All played a part in making me into the person I am today. Some for better, some for worse, but the people around me shaped who I became. Some people abused my trust for their own personal gain, or amusement . And some showed me true kindness, acceptance, and understanding. The later are the people I call “Friends.” If I chose to call you a friend, then you have earned my friendship through your actions. My past experiences have made me a little untrusting, cynical at times, and cautious about who I let in. For me it is truly sad to lose contact with a close friend. They are people I admire, respect, and whose company I enjoy. People who accept me for the Cynical, skeptical, atheist, jackass I can be at times, and like me for the honest, trustworthy, and loyal friend I am. I would hope you would consider it a compliment, if you are my friend then I consider you to be among the best people I have ever met. I tend to hold people to a Higher standard than most. I know what we are capable of as a species. I know I shouldn’t be so picky, it has Limited my circle of friends to a relative few. But, I can say with absolute certainty, that I do admire, trust, and cherish the friendships I have made. Those cherished few have shown me Kindness, compassion, understanding, and been there for me when I needed a friend the most. I can definitely say they are my extended, adopted, Family.<br />
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But sadly, over these last few years, I have lost Contact with some people I thought would be Life-Long friends. And for reasons I can’t quite explain, or figure out. They just stopped responding to calls, emails, and text messages. I would ask them to lunch to catch up, or over for a beer to keep the lines of communication open. Seeing as when people age, their lives take them in different directions, and as you get older it’s nice to be able to reminisce with the people you knew when you were young. Unfortunately my calls went unanswered, messages not returned, seemingly out of the blue. One friend in particular’s lack of response seemed to coincide with my “Coming out” so to speak. 2 years ago I felt it was time to make it public that I was an Atheist. No big deal for me if you believe in God, I Don’t. In any case, that’s not the point I’m here to make. Regardless of your political or religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or skin colour, I will not use that as a reason to not befriend someone, or cut ties with any friend. Like I pointed out earlier, if I considered you a friend, then I hold your character in high regard. But I guess some things are more important than friendship and loyalty. Like your commitment to the invisible man in the sky. Fine, I get it… well actually I don’t, but to each their own. If my friendship was that unimportant that you can be my friend when you think I believe in god, but when you realize I don’t, my friendship can be easily tossed aside like last weeks left over casserole, then so be it. I don’t need friends who are that fleeting, unenlightened, and un-accepting. My tolerance is high, but if yours isn’t then I guess my opinion of you was wrong. It sucks to lose a friend I have known since I was very young, and I hope my suspicions are incorrect, but sadly the coincidence is uncanny. I know Correlation does not equal causation, but until I get another explanation, I’m sticking with what the available evidence tells me. It saddens me even more that this person, who I’ve literally known my entire life, now has 3 children that I will never really get to know. Someone who I believed would be my friend for life, the brother I never had, has kids that I won’t get to spend any time with (knowing full well I won’t have children of my own makes this situation even more painful).<br />
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Another friend seemed to disappear shortly after my failed Kidney transplant. No reason. At a time in my life when I needed friends the most, some just chose to vanish into thin air. I guess I had taken on a little too much baggage, and it was too much work to be my friend. You know, visiting the hospital once to see if I was still alive, emailing to see how I’m holding up. I just required too much effort. I was very sad to lose contact with this person. We had shared some good times together, and his company really did bring joy to my life. I still hold out hope that someday we will get back in contact, reconcile whatever made us go our separate ways, and get back to making each other laugh hysterically, and killing each other repeatedly in Halo and then cursing the other for days about how he was “a F’N Camping Bitch!” The hope is still alive that someday this friendship will return to the way it was. If you are reading this Matt, no hard feelings, it would be great to hear from you. You were my best friend in High school, and I do miss your company. <br />
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I remember another friend I lost a few years after High school. It was Stupid how it all went down, but the principle of why I ended that friendship is solid. I had developed feelings for a girl who was a mutual friend, and was looking for an opportunity to ask her out. And, I had discussed this dilemma with said friend, “How do I get her alone to ask?” But before I could get the chance to make my move, he moved in and made a move first. First off, I had made it clear my Intention was to ask her out, and as a friend she should have then been off limits. And if he had the same feelings, should have said something so we could have not encountered this uncomfortable situation. So I felt I couldn’t really trust him anymore, and that was that. I haven’t spoken to him since. I know, it is stupid of me to have held that grudge over something so trivial. But when I was in Penticton, I was still wondering who I could really trust. I had been burned so many times by others that when it all went down I flashed back to all the other times my trust was betrayed and I was very angry about it. I still think he was totally out of line, but now it doesn’t matter. I have found someone I care deeply for, and wouldn’t exchange her for the world. It’s strange how the events of your life seem to play out to bring you to a certain point. I may never have met this amazing woman if things had played out differently. So, maybe someday I’ll smarten up at try to reconcile the friendship, but for now, I’m not sure I’m ready.<br />
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Through all the loss, there are gains as well. I have met, just in the last few years, some very amazing people. People whose friendships I hope to hold onto for a life time. They know who they are, so I don’t need to name names. Different circumstances have brought us together, but I hope our mutual respect, compassion, and trust will keep it that way. To all of you who have stood beside me when I needed you, from the bottom of my Blood Pump (heart! :) ) I truly thank you. You are the people who make life worth living. Without friends like you, who knows where I would be today. I sure wouldn’t be half as happy as I am now. You are the ones who care about me even when I’m being that cynical jackass, hold me up when I need a friend, and have earned my trust through acts of Kindness and compassion. You are my rock, my foundation, or very simply… you are my friends. Such a simple word doesn’t do you guys justice. I rely on you when I need a friend, and I hope you feel you can do the same. I feel very lucky that you have chosen to share a bit of your short time on this rock with me. I will never forget your Kindness. Thank you for being my friends. <br />
JasonJay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-62977699997105166572011-08-10T12:23:00.000-07:002011-08-10T12:23:35.654-07:00Drugs, Whores, and Freedom... Oh MY!!This may come as a surprise… I’m actually making an argument for the legalization of drugs! I know!! Shocked the hell out of me too. But I looked at it rationally, ignored my own person feelings, and this is what I came up with. Point out all the holes you want, the benefits still outweigh the drawbacks. Any way you slice it, it still works out better for society, I think at least. You can make up your own mind. I ain’t your Momma! :) Oh and I make a small argument for the legalization of Prostitution too. I know… if there was a Hell I would burn like a tire fire for all eternity. But as we established earlier, There is No Hell, so bring on the hookers, the Blow, the Booze, and the debauchery! Just kidding. But some 2000 year old rules, and a really crappy Book (‘Bible: God’s Big Book of Incredibly Bad Ideas’) should not influence how we live today. It’s all about freedom of choice. Well… more specifically Freedom in General. As much as I disagree with the use of drugs, and Crack Whores, there are ways to make both industries safe (or at least ‘safer’) for all who wish to partake. It’s not my Job to tell you what is right or wrong. But we should we should be doing is allowing you the freedom to figure it out for yourself.<br />
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Ok, here we go…<br />
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Just so we’re 100% clear… Marijuana is a drug, just like Alcohol, Tobacco, Nicotine, Cocaine, and Heroin. They all have adverse effects on your health, on your Brain, etc . Some more than others. Prohibition was started by Religious whack jobs who wanted to control people. I’m sorry but Prohibition was Bullshit. I Don’t drink (much), I don’t smoke, and I’ve never done Drugs. I am a Stone Sober Atheist, professional. I support a person’s right to do what they want with their own body. It’s yours, if you want to rot it out with drugs and booze, be my Guest. In a truly free country you should have that right. I always feel we should err on the side of Freedom. As long as you don’t cause harm to someone else, whatever you do in the privacy of your own home is none of my business, none of your neighbour’s business, and none of the Government’s business. If Watching CNN with a cup of Coffee, in a 3-peice suit is what floats your boat, who am I to Judge. Or if A night of Hookers, Booze, and Blow is what does it for you, then too each their own. I Highly recommend that you stay away from the Booze and the Blow, but I have no issues with the hookers. Oh yeah, and that’s another freedom we seem to forget about. It’s her Body, and if she chooses to have sex for money, it’s no one’s concern. “Why is it Illegal to sell something that is perfectly legal to Give away?” –George Carlin. “If you’re good at something, Never do it for Free!” – The Joker. We should not be concerning ourselves with what 2 consenting Adults do behind closed doors. Regardless if it includes a monetary transaction, or not, it’s still 2 Consenting Adults in Private. People, keep your noses out of other peoples Genitals!! Taking money out of sex is actually a form of Discrimination. People want to have sex with attractive people, and there is almost nothing a less than attractive person can do to accomplish that, “Almost” Nothing. Why do Ugly rich Men have trophy wives? I’m guessing it’s not because she finds Hairy Backs, Acne, and Sweaty Pits attractive. Yes, some girls get into Prostitution as a last resort, or are forced into it, and it’s never a good thing. Everything should be done to help them get out and back on their feet. But in many places in the world, it is a profession like any other. It is regulated, the girls are well cared for, and above all… IT’S THEIR CHOICE! Even here in Alberta, an Escort Does it by choice. They are very attractive women, and they Charge an arm and a leg for their “Services.” If you want good service, you have to pay for it. If you make anything illegal, it becomes seedy, ugly, and dangerous. What if we were to ban fly fishing? Then your father in law buys his flies from the Mob. Is he a criminal? No. That is a freedom that was taken away from him, and he’s taking it back. Anytime government steps in and tries to take away something that people want, they will do whatever it takes to get it back, even breaking the law. Making things illegal that should not be illegal makes normal everyday people into criminals, and puts more money in the hands of organized crime. <br />
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The point is, whatever I believe personally, doesn’t matter! Not at All! It’s what is right that matters. I would love to see drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes Gone for good, but… that Isn’t going to happen. People take drugs because they get the desired effect. They work, that’s why people use them. They aren’t going away, so we might as well do everything we can to make them safer for everyone. Take the money away from organized crime, and Tax the crap out of it. Regulate the dosages, and treat it the same we would alcohol at a bar. If the guy has had too many… cut him off!! I know, easier said than done, and I don’t trust anyone in the government to sit the right way on a toilet seat. But regulation, monitoring, and tax dollars, are a much better solution than Guns, back alleys, tainted drugs, and overdoses! Another point on Pot, it’s not toxic enough to kill anyone. There is no reported cases, ANYWHERE (in any peer-reviewed medical journal papers/Journals), of anyone overdosing on marijuana. It cannot happen, it is simply not toxic enough. That being said, extended use has shown in medical testing that it does affect the brain’s ability to process memories, and it can adversely affect the nervous system causing issues with motor skills. But again, that is through prolonged usage, not your average “Take a toke on the weekend” stoner. Legalization will take money out of the hands of Criminals, ease the burden on our Legal system so they can deal with real crimes (you know, Murder, rape, arson, assault, armed robberies, etc), and regulate the doses to keep people from clogging our already overstuffed emergency rooms with overdose victims. We all have basic rights, and the right to be free and use our own body as we see fit is a Basic Human right. It cannot be negotiated out of our own charter of rights and freedoms. “Government big enough to supply everything you need, is big enough to take everything you have. The course of history shows that as Government grows, Liberty decreases.” –Thomas Jefferson. The war on drugs costs us, Canadian Taxpayers, over 2 Billion dollars a year. I can think of at least a hundred things that money could be better spent on. Health care, Education, infrastructure, The arts, Right to play, Medical research, foreign Aid, and the list can go on forever. It’s time we, as a people, pulled our heads out of the sand (or our asses) and did the right thing for once. Give people back their freedom. That’s an amazing thing, to have the freedom to make the wrong choice is still freedom in its most basic sense. I hate drugs, and I wish they didn’t exist, but I also want a toilet made of solid gold, a Mansion in Beverly Hills, and a Ferrari. But you can wish in one hand, and crap in the other, and see which gets filled first. <br />
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And, Just because we legalize it, doesn’t mean we’re going to have total anarchy, either. The people who want to try it while it was illegal will still want to try it when it is legal. And the people who are appalled by it, won’t decide that “since it’s legal, I may as well give it a shot.” It doesn’t work that way (of course there are exceptions to every rule). That’s like saying the only reason you didn’t slaughter your neighbor, and rape his daughter, is because it’s illegal. That’s Insane! You know it’s wrong, and if it suddenly became OK by law, you wouldn’t decide that it’s a good idea, would you? If you said yes, then you should talk to a professional very soon! So, we may as well make these activities safer for those who would make the choice to try it regardless of its legality. If it was Legal when I was in High school, I still would not have tried it. I knew they were not for me then, and I still feel the same. But who am I to make that call for someone else? It’s not my responsibility to tell anyone how to live their lives. You are responsible for you, and your choices have consequences. If you are properly educated on the dangers of these drugs, and still think it’s worth the risk, then I, or anyone else, has no right to stop you. And there is another sad point in our education system. Our Anti- Drug Program doesn’t teach the kids anything about the drugs themselves, it just preaches a “Just say No” attitude. I don’t have Kids of my own, but I was one, many moons ago, and I know how kids think. “Fuck you, I’ll figure it out my own self!” Or “What do you know?” You forget that teenagers Know EVERYTHING, and really don’t listen when you tell what to think. But studies have shown that when you give them the information they need to make an informed decision they, more often than not, will make the right choice. But we need to give them that option, otherwise they will make their decision based on bad information, or NO information. But, like I said, it’s your Body, do with it as you will. But just remember, you only get one, so try not to burn it out too early. Drugs are by nature dangerous, but with proper education, dosages, and regulations, we can limit that danger to manageable levels, reducing the risk of overdose, or death. <br />
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I know this is a very touchy subject. The people who Hate drugs want them gone completely, which will never happen. And the people who use them want free reign to use whatever, whenever. Also not going to happen. We need to meet in the middle, find common ground, and make these dangerous drugs, less dangerous to use, and less dangerous to get. Take the huge profits away from organized crime, and create a new cash-flow to help ease income taxes. It’s not rocket surgery People! Make anything Illegal and it gets more Dangerous, and more expensive. People can’t complain to the cops that some guy with a gun Stole his stash. An Escort can’t complain about how she was assaulted by a john, or her pimp. And your Father-in-Law can’t complain about how that guy behind the liquor store overcharged for his flys that didn’t work. Legalize it, and suddenly government steps in and can properly regulate the industries, clean them up, and make them safer for all involved. <br />
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Anyway, What am I trying to say? What is the message that I’m trying to get across? Your opinion doesn’t matter. My Opinion doesn’t matter. This is about Freedom. If we truly live in a free country then we should have the freedom to do whatever we want with our own body. It’s mine, If I wanted to have sex for money, It’s my body and in a free country I would have that Option. Again, It’s my Body, and If I wanted to rot it out with Drugs and Alcohol, that should be my right. As much as I know these things are dangerous, I also know that if we want to be truly free, then we need to have the option available to make that decision for ourselves. Lets clean these industries up, make them safer for all who make that choice, and let’s take the Profits away from Gangs, and use the tax dollars to help people. Legalized Marijuana works in Amsterdam, and Legalized Prostitution works in Nevada. And again, I don’t think I can say this enough, I Know what I’m saying. Let people do Drugs, and let people buy Sex. This is a tough Sell!! It’s not that I am in favor of any of it. I Hate drugs, I’ve never done them before, and I never will. I think Hookers are Nasty, and I would never pay for sex, EVER! But, who am I to tell you what you don’t have the freedom to do with your body, or your hard-earned money. You earned it, spend it on whatever you feel like. Who is anyone to say that you spent 40 hours a week working a shitty job and you can’t take the money you earned and do whatever you want with it? So, if we really want freedom, then we need to be truly free. Every time Politicians make something illegal that shouldn’t be, they take away more of our freedoms. Last time… I Don’t like these things, and would never EVER want to partake, but No One, absolutely NO ONE, has the right to tell you what you can, or can’t do with your own body, or In your Own Home (as Long as it doesn’t cause harm to someone else). Not the Police, Not the Government, not your Parents, not your church, not your friends… not Anyone! I can’t stop anyone from doing what they want to do, in a free country. Just stay the fuck out of my house… the Stoners, the whores, and the Government.<br />
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Alright, I know it’s coming… tell me how stupid I am. Go ahead. I know you want to. I can take it. I knew what I was in for when I started writing this. So… do your worst.Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-55295528094529157422011-08-07T22:27:00.000-07:002011-08-07T22:27:56.446-07:00OMG!! The attack of the Words!<span><img alt="" class="photo_img img" src="http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/8133_149686571503_535041503_3119165_425278_n.jpg" /></span><br />
<span><span class="caption"></span></span>There is no such thing as bad words. It's the context that makes them good or bad. You can say anything, in a bad context, with malicious intent, not using "bad Words" and it is bad. But saying something with a smile, and no malicious intent, but using a word that someone doesn't like, is also bad?? It makes no sense! There are no bad Words, only bad thoughts, bad intentions, and bad people. The words are completely innocent. <br />
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Deciding that a series of sounds strung together to form a word in any language is bad is insane! The idea that there are certain sequences of sounds, that when said, would make someone uncomfortable for reasons they can’t quite explain, is a very primitive notion! The word dog for example, Du-au-guh. We happen to have chosen that word, or those sounds, to match that little yapping animal. But hen instead of saying dog, we say Ff-u-ck, that is considered bad. Also, the words we find profane change over time. In the early 1900s, the word “Humbug” was deemed a Bad word. 100 years later, a 5 year old will say it on the street and everyone thinks it's cute. Imagine what 5 year olds will be saying in 100 years. Today, Humbug just doesn’t have the impact it once did. We now say Bullshit! <br />
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Most people aren't afraid of bad language, or “Barnyard Vulgarity”; they just want it in their own style of infantile baby talk. Using the initials BS is ok, but saying Bullshit is bad. How hypocritical is that? You know what BS means, but using the real word is bad? Or how about Balderdash? It means the same thing in your head; you just think that it's more pleasant! These people think it's unpleasant language that makes the world unpleasant, not unpleasant behaviour. Balderdash means a muddle, or mess, usually of alcoholic Beverages. But now we are using it as simple ejaculation. <br />
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You want a higher form of Language? You want me to use better words? ... Ok I’ll try it your way. "You Unpleasant, myopic, impotent, despite!” Better? Or would you rather me just call you an asshole and move on? Perhaps it is the context in which words are spoken that gives them the power, or meaning. Not the words themselves. <br />
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On October 4th, 1961, a Comedian named Lenny Bruce was the last person in this hemisphere to be arrested for obscene speech. He said “to' is a preposition, 'come' is a verb", that the sexual context of "come" is so common that it bears no weight, and that if someone hearing it becomes upset, he "probably can't come."” He was eventually aquited of all charges. 2 years later in Los Angeles, Bruce was arrested again for language. The specification this time was that the comedian had used the word "schmuck", an insulting Yiddish term that is also an obscene term for penis. Are you kidding me? Later, in 1973, George Carlin’s “7 Dirty words you can’t say on TV” caused a sensation. Carlin was chagred with Incedency, and took it all the way to the Supreme court. Carlin (and the good guys) lost and the FCC (in the US) has used it as legal precident ever since. <br />
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“Government big enough to supply everthing you need, is big enough to take everything you have. The course of History shows that as a government Grows, Liberty Decreases.”-- Thomas Jefferson <br />
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I have a right to say what I want, where I want, when I want. And you do have a right to be offended. But you don’t have the right to tell me that I don’t have the right to say what I want, because it offends you. To these people free speech isn’t! <br />
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When you really think about this issue, these straight-laced solipsists aren’t asking that we control our anger, or that we change our behaviour. They aren’t asking that we treat each other with more respect or patience. They aren’t trying to be Nicer. They just want you to shout something they feel is appropriate when you feel like shouting. They don’t care about the package, just the gift-wrap. They don’t advocate peace; they don’t care if you speak with hate. They want only to change the exact words. As if the words are what make discourse hateful, or distasteful. They think the avoidance of certain words will signal an education. HUMBUG! It’s the words you use, not the ones you don’t use that show what you know. It’s trivial to hurt your feelings with the “Squeaky-cleanest” of words. It’s also trivial to tell you we love you with the most “Vulgar” Profanity. In Some instances, it even adds a little fun to the love. Marshall McLuhan was just wrong!! The message is the message. Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-6899372258249764842011-07-19T11:01:00.000-07:002011-07-19T12:09:33.037-07:00They should have seen me comming!! :)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Before I really get into the hard hitting, profanity laced, fact infused, dismantling of the psychic profession, I just need to get a few things clear right off the bat. One is a legal matter. Since I am really not hiding who I am on this blog, I need to be able to cover my ass in case of any potential litigation. Calling someone a liar, fraud, or a quack, could be misconstrued as Slander, and is thusly Punishable under the law. But oddly enough… saying they are Assholes, or Mother Fuckers, is completely safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saying these were all<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>scams, could also get me in trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Bullshit, strangely enough, is Safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you’ll have to forgive my gratuitous use of profanity, I’m trying to talk about the truth without spending the rest of my life in court because of “Litigious Mother fuckers!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But really, when we’re dealing with psychics… shouldn’t they have seen me coming?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Secondly, I have to make it very clear where my heart is. I have nothing but empathy for anyone who is experiencing the loss and grief, of the death of a loved one. I’m a bit of a momma’s boy, and I’m not ashamed to admit that. And I’m very close to my Dad; he’s one of my best friends. I don’t know what I would do without them. Or, I can’t even begin to imagine their pain, if either I, or my sister were to die. I hear stories about people who lost a child, and my heart really does bleed for them. It’s never something you would want to happen to anyone. Or if one, or both of your parents are gone, I can’t begin to imagine the feelings of pain and loss. Harry Houdini, the first real documented de-<span class="spelle">mystifier</span> of psychics, didn’t really go crazy Busting these Psychics until he lost his Mom. Once you’ve felt that Pure Grief, Seeing it exploited can take away your sense of Humor. Once our loved ones are gone, all we have left is our memories of them. My grandmother passed away a few years ago, and my memories of her, and the time I spent with her are very precious to me. How low do you have to be to exploit someone’s pure grief to make a few bucks, or to sell some fucked-up book? I don’t give a rat’s ass about the money these assholes are taking from the grief stricken. What I do care about, deeply, is the desecration of memories. The grieving person’s memories end up all fucked up because of someone else’s images.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All we have left of our loved ones is memories, and these pigs piss on them for money, and a little unearned fame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure these lame fucks tell themselves they’re easing the grief, but “skits for money” cannot replace loving memories.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well, now that the sappy stuff is out of the way, let’s Bust up this party!<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I will tell you right now that 0% of what any Psychic, Medium, Tarot card reader, or aura reader, will tell you is actually due to psychic ability. Science can explain every single thing they do. This is a skill that doesn’t require any type of supernatural ability. It’s just a skill that requires a good understanding of Human nature, and knowing what your subject wants, and giving it to them. In order to fool people these “performance artists” use a number of techniques. The most common trick they use is called “Cold Reading.” It a process of asking for information, while giving the impression you are getting this information from some supernatural source, like dead people talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Psychic will make a lot of guesses, and of course, the more guesses you make the better chance you have of making accurate guesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a more difficult method to use in a one on one setting, so most of these Bullshitters will use another method, commonly referred to as the “Shot-gun Approach.” They rely on the better odds they have of getting a random “hit” when working with a larger audience. That is where another trick usually comes into play. It’s referred to as the “Question Trick.” The psychic will try to look very knowing, and then say something to the group like “Who’s Mary? Who’s Mary?” Or maybe not phrase it like a question, but word it as “I’m getting a ‘J’ sounding name, like James, or John. Does that mean anything to anyone?” And the believers will jump up, supply the information to fill in the gaps, and be very convinced by it. “He told me my Mother’s name was Mary.” No he didn’t, it was a question. Using these techniques, and by exploiting the grieving “believers,” they can fumble together a reading that to someone who is emotionally fragile, and not thinking clearly, would really sound like they knew what they were doping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you combine the emotionally fragile, and some good showmanship, the con artist is likely going to pull off their Bullshit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The believers forget the embarrassing misses, and count and exaggerate the hits. It’s a phenomenon that P.T. Barnum made famous in the late 1800s; “People want to be fooled.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is now commonly referred to as the Barnum Effect, and psychics use this to their advantage, very well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of the problem is the Believers are really wanting, no sorry, ‘needing’ this to be true, and that clouds their judgment, and rational thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, if we were voting on whether we want this to be true, my vote is yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who wouldn’t want to contact a deceased relative?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a very attractive concept. If you were not thinking clearly or rationally, you would really want them to succeed, which is what you came for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you have to ask yourself “is it really so, or am I just being hustled?” These Methods have been around for hundreds of years, and were routinely De-bunked by Harry Houdini in the early 1900’s. And he was making headway into proving this Bullshit trickery, until his untimely death in October of 1926, due to Peritonitis, caused by a ruptured appendix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before he died, Harry and His wife<b><i> </i></b>His agreed on a code word, in the case that one of them died before the other (a likely scenario, but none the less, that was the plan). This code word would be to prove to the other that they were really talking to each other through a Psychic, or medium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The code they decided upon was “<span class="spelle">Rosabelle</span> believe.” Every Halloween, for 10 years after his death, his wife Bess, would hold séance to try to communicate with him, but no psychic could ever produce the Codeword. Even in Death, Houdini was the best debunker of Psychic assholes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey Harry, can you believe it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same Bullshit, you so thoroughly debunked almost a century ago, is continuing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even enjoying a resurgence.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, anyone can “talk” to the dead… Getting an answer, that’s the hard Part.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Psychics who seem to know a too much about you, are likely doing what is now referred to as a “Hot Reading.” As opposed to a “Cold Reading”, where they come in “cold.” They don’t know you from Adam. A hot reading is a little different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s when the psychic has found a way to do some research on the victim Beforehand. Today, things like Face-Book, Twitter, and My-Space, are huge tools. Most people don’t lock their content, so a Psychic can go online and find out where you live, where you spent your last vacation, the members of your family, your friends, what type of car you drive, what pets you have, and so on. All things they can use to make it appear they are psychic. There have also been cases where a Psychic has hired private investigator to dig up the required information. It is a large up-front expense, but they know if they can be convincing enough they can keep a person on the hook for much more than they spent on getting the info. Another method of Information gathering is a hidden microphone in the waiting room. It’s simple. They place it under a table or a chair, and while you are there with a friend of Family member talking, they gather all the information they will need that way. The last and Final method of “Hot Reading” is a friend of a friend. It obvious that this friend has spoken to the psychic about you before, and thinks the psychic can help. This is the easiest way for them to get all the information on you they will need to be convincing. “Oh, my Friend, So-and-So, moved here a few years ago when her mother died, and she has been having trouble getting over it. Maybe she should talk to you.” Well guess what, that is all the psychic needs to get started. And they didn’t even have to work for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This method is mostly used in a “one on one” reading, because most of those are scheduled a few days, to a few weeks, in advance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Taking up the mantle of exposing this bullshit for the last 50 years has been the Amazing Randi. Now James Randi of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). </span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">"<i>Perhaps nobody in the world understands both the virtues and the failings of the paranormal as well as Randi does. His qualifications as a rational human being are unparalleled"</i> -Isaac Asimov.</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Randi is now using his skills as a magician, and a skeptic, to bust psychics and other paranormal phenomena, using his foundation in Florida, and his $1,000,000.00 prize. It’s very simple to win. Prove you can do what you claim you can do… Win a Million Dollars! Approximately 250 psychics apply annually for the prize, claiming some form of psychic, or paranormal, power or ability. The 1 Million Dollar prize was first announced in 1996, prior to that James Randi had a prize of 10,000, then 25,000, 50,000, and up to 100,000, before forming the Educational Foundation, and raising the 1,000,000.00 prize (it is invested at Goldman & Sacks in New York, and can only be removed from the account for the purpose of awarding the prize).<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">James Van <span class="spelle">Praagh, is a psychic who has his own daytime TV show in the states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the things he</span> likes to tell you is how your deceased friend or relative got deceased. He’ll say things like “He tells me, before he passed, that he had trouble breathing.” Folks, that’s what dying is all about! You stop breathing, and then you’re dead! It’s that simple. And that’s the kind of information he’s going to bring back for you? I don’t think so.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">These performers will say things like “I’m hearing ‘Electricity.’ He’s saying to me ‘Electricity.’ Was he an Electrician?” No. “Did he have an electric Razor?” No. It’s a game of 20 questions! Until they narrow it down to a point where they can sound like they know the person. The sad thing is that the victims in all this will forget all the misses, and exaggerate the hits. They want it so badly that their brain takes a hike, and they just believe it so deeply. They don’t just want it to be true… they NEED it to be true. Any thought otherwise would be to admit their loved one is really gone. And that’s too painful for them. It all comes back to the “Barnum Effect.” “People want to be fooled.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Another so-called psychic, who has his own TV show, is John Edward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Same deal as that Asshole Van Praagh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These TV psychics have it pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They work with an audience of hundreds (shot-gun Approach), and those hundreds are all there because they truly believe, and are emotionally fragile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jon even gives a little helpful advice to any forgetful fan, “Bring a copy of your Family Tree to the show, just in case.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, just in case one of your relatives you’ve never talked to, never met before, or never even knew existed decides they want to share a moment with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, ok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Asshole. “Most of the misses people think are misses, are not misses.”—Jon Edward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Riiiight…. It’s a hit, but the grieving are too stupid to figure it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of these shows tape for over 2 hours, then are edited down to 45 minutes to fit into a 1 hour TV slot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So how come no one ever hears about those embarrassing misses they edit out of the shows?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both Van Praagh, and Edward, have huge release forms, that the TV audiences have to sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Van Praagh’s, specifically is over 20 pages, and is the largest release form I have ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It was available on line, but when I went there to make a copy to reference for you, it had been removed.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The non-disclosure clause is very suspicious, to me at least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You judge it for you self.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Neither anyone acting on my behalf, nor I, shall speak to any media representative, or source, about any aspect of my participation in the series.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are they so afraid of?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very unusual, and seems to be very protective of what goes on inside the studio during the taping of the show.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">One Psychic, who I’m sure you’ve seen on TV, is Sylvia Browne, “The Talons.” (If you know what she looks like, you’re probably laughing) Sylvia charges $700, for a 20-minute reading… Over the Telephone! She won’t even see you in person. And you have to book ahead by almost 2 years. For that measly $700 investment, she gives you the names of your Guardian angels. Well without that how would you ever be able to function? And she tells you who you were in previous lives. Now, the JREF has hundreds of these conversations on tape in their library, and a pattern has emerged. All the men were once Grecian Warriors, fighting with Agamemnon, and the women were all Babylonian Princesses, or something along those lines. Nothing is ever said of a 13-year-old “Boot Black” in the streets of London, who died of consumption. He’s not important enough to be reincarnated, apparently. The one thing I find odd about these situations is that they never seem to call anyone back from Hell. Everyone went to Heaven, and No one is in Hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, Sylvia is an exception, in one way. She is the only professional psychic in the world to accept Mr. Randi’s challenge. She accepted it Live on the Larry King Live show back in 2002, and the JREF didn’t hear from her for 6 and a half years. She then said that she didn’t know how to get a hold of him. ??? A professional psychic who talks to dead people, and she can’t reach him? He’s a live, I know, I’ve talked to him (via Email, but to me it counts!) (Video of Sylvia accepting the challenge is available on You-tube.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another issue with this scary Bitch, she was on the Montell Williams show a few years ago, and was talking to the Parents of a man who had gone missing a month previous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was asked specifically “Is he still with us?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically asking if he was still alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She responded with a simple no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This absolutely crushed the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They then went ahead with funeral arrangements, only to find out a few weeks later their son was still alive, and living in another state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sent Sylvia into serious damage control, making up all kinds of bullshit to try to cover her own ass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Again, CNN’s coverage of this story is available on You-Tube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s very damming.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Uri Gellar, a young Israeli, in the early 70’s, who claimed to have Psychic magical powers. Things like Mind reading, Bending metal spoons or keys, locating water hidden inside metal containers. Uri was scheduled to appear on the tonight show with Johnny Carson. Johnny, having been a magician himself, was skeptical of his abilities, and contacted James Randi to devise a test to confirm his abilities. A few dozen props were displayed for Uri to work with, and his people were not allowed to be anywhere near them. When he was pressed to perform his typical tricks, he was unable to perform any of them. And, as Randi would later show on a PBS special in the early 80’s, he was unable to perform those tricks, because they required hours of preparation (weakening the spoons, pre bending the keys, etc. All things that Randi would then duplicate using the same trickery as Gellar). Unfortunately, that appearance had little effect on Gellar’s career. But, as it tends to happen, his star faded, and he went home to Israel in the late 80’s. Uri has also never applied for the Million-dollar Prize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(note: Again, the video of this is available on You tube, and I encourage you to view it.) <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And the US doesn’t have a monopoly on Bullshit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are plenty of these Bullshitting assholes here in Calgary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A google search turns up a few hundred, just in Calgary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny enough, some of them also offer, astrology, and hypnotherapy services as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, branching out into other forms of Bullshit, are we?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still waiting for the same headline Jay Leno is waiting for, “Psychic wins Lottery.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clairvoyant Kim, who is consistently on the radio, is one of the local assholes that needs to be stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you ever hear her on CJay, her “readings” are so scatter-brained, nonsensical, and just plain ridiculous, that it could apply to anyone, and about almost anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I listened, and a few tings she said could have applied to me, or my parents, or my sister, hell, even the Dog!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just throws so much information out at once, and hopes that something will fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like throwing Shit at the wall, hoping something might actually stick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which is actually a very accurate metaphor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hits rarely, but people so badly want it to work that they ignore all the misses, and focus on the one thing she got right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that point she goes for the jugular, and focuses right in on that one thing, and plays it up as the “be all to end all” of your life, and people buy it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They should be embarrassed, and she should be ashamed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really wish we had the means to prosecute these Assholes, but as of now there is no section under the law to prosecute psychics, in Canada or the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, in Australia, they do have legislation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can be prosecuted under Fraud, for charging for a service they are unable to provide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully that same legislation will be in Canada in my lifetime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If these psychics were really talking to the dead, why would they even get it slightly wrong?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would they have to ask you any questions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they were really talking to the dead, they should have this information, and should be able to supply it to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would you have to tell them your dad liked to fish, or was an Electrician?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, that your Grandmother made amazing sugar cookies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why wouldn’t your mom, who was smart and funny, and sharp-witted, suddenly not remember 1 or 2 letters of her own name?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These psychic assholes are making you do all the work, put the information together in your head which ever way fits best to what you want to hear, and then taking all the credit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you’re vulnerable, and looking for answers, there is always someone there willing to sell you one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So, obviously, psychics are, always have been, and always will be… BULLSHIT! One of the weird things Houdini discovered was that some of these Mediums actually fall into believing their own Bullshit. They forget their own misses, or even worse, write them off as hits that “we’re just not able to recognize.” Cold Reading can be done accidentally, but that doesn’t mean that the psychic is a better person. Lying to themselves does not make lying to others OK. It can make intellectually lazy scumbags, more convincing and dangerous. But even if these fucks know they’re just making this shit up, and pushing peoples buttons, they tell themselves “At least I’m comforting the bereaved.” Who the fuck are they to decide that lying about the universe, and dead loved one, is what the bereaved needs? That’s condescending Bullshit! There’s a very good reason for all the audience contracts they have to stop the victims from talking after they leave the show. When the pressure is off, and grieving relative gets a chance to think, some of them figure it out. Given a minute to think about it, this shit is pretty easy to figure. We’re all vulnerable, but no, we’re not all suckers. The pain can be great, and we can want to believe, but there’s hope that we can be strong enough to climb out of the bullshit superstitions that have drained away some of our Humanity. You don’t heal a broken heart by pretending it’s not broken.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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</div><em> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Sources: CNN The Larry King Live Show; The James Randi Educational Foundation; Penn & Teller’s Bulllshit, James Randi: Psychic Investigator; Skeptic Magazine; The Skeptical inquirer; The International Center for Inquiry (paranormal Investigators); The Center for Inquiry West.</span></em>Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-36807839907378987822011-04-12T22:34:00.000-07:002011-04-12T22:34:19.090-07:00The Hockey Oracle Speaks:<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well, greetings and Salutations Hockey Fans. I AM the Hockey Oracle. The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs begin at 5:00 pm (local MST) Wednesday afternoon, and as is the tradition in Canada, anyone with a mind for the game will be making predictions. And I am no Different, so here we go… (I’ll save the best 2 for last. Ha. Now you have to read the whole thing!!) I’ll try to keep these short, because when I get talking about Hockey, (HOCKEY!!!! WOOOOOOO, Hockey!!!!) I could go on for hours!!<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Washington Capitals (1) vs New York Rangers (8):</span></u></b><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Rangers were able to sneak into the playoffs with a win in game 82. A valiant effort down the stretch got them into the post season. Unfortunately their opponent has stormed into the playoffs as well, stealing top spot in the conference away from the Flyers in the last week. “Ovie and friends” will be looking for some playoff success after being ousted in the second and first rounds of the last few playoffs. As always in Washington, Goaltending will be a problem. Inexperience in goal has plagued them before, and I suspect it will again. To make up for this, the Caps will have to Score in Bunches. The team that scored the second most goals in the regular season will literally have to “light it up” to win this series. Easier said than done when your opponent has King Henrik (Lundqvist) in goal. This guy can single handedly steal you a series. And the Rangers have an offensive weapon of their own in Marion Gaborik. Who can score almost at will, when he puts his mind to it. Give the edge to the Rangers in goal. The edge to Washington on Offence. Call the defense a wash. This series will come down to Special teams. And with Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin, and Green, the power play should make the difference. <u>The Verdict:</u> Take the Capitals in 6.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Tampa bay Lightning (5) vs Pittsburgh Penguins (4):</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Without Captain Sydney Crosby, and former Conn Smythe trophy winner Evgeni Malkin, in the lineup, this series should be Tampa’s to lose. But don’t take anything away from those Pens just yet. They maintained a High level of play without their two superstars. Mostly on the back of Goaltender Mac-Andre Fleury. At the other end, the lightning will turn to Dwayne Roloson. A goalie, who at times this season has looked Brilliant, and at other times looked very average. Roloson carried the Oilers to the Finals in 2007, and if he can return to form, he could be the “X-Factor” in the series. Tampa also boasts one of the more potent offences, and one of the league’s most dangerous Power plays. Lead by Stamkos, St. Louis, and Lecavalier. It looks fairly likely that Pittsburgh will get Crosby back in the lineup at some point in the first round, or early second(if they make it past the first round.) but if not, this is going to be Tampa Bay, all the way. <u>The Verdict: </u>Take Tampa in 6 (maybe 7)<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Philadelphia Flyers (2) vs Buffalo Sabers (7):</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Philadelphia is the number 2 seed, but they are without All-star defenseman Chris Pronger. They have also been rotating 3 different goalies all year, and that has worked until now. They limped into the playoffs, losing a lead of 7 points in the conference, and falling to 2<sup>nd</sup> behind Washington. Now they will have to find out which of their goalies has the “Hot hand” and try to ride him to a long playoff run. I don’t think it’s going to work, since when you look at the other end of the ice and you See Ryan Miller. A perennial All-Star goalie who can steal you games. How else do you think the Sabers got into the playoffs? It wasn’t by scoring a huge heap of goals! I would normally say this would give Buffalo a decided edge, but… wait a minute. Philly has a pretty potent offence, and can come at you from all sides, with speed. Ryan Miller will be facing a shooting gallery in the Buffalo net. And if he can stand on his head, they may have a chance. This could be a very interesting 2-7 series to watch. Buffalo is stingy, but has trouble scoring in Bunches. Philly can score in Bunches but are going up against Ryan Miller, and their goalies can’t stop a beach ball hurled at them by a toddler. I ‘d say this series is pretty even. <br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Verdict:</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Philly in 7 (maybe even in OT)<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Anaheim Ducks (4) vs Nashville Predators (5):</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Nashville has been the perennial playoff “whipping boy!” With a first round exit an annual thing. And this year should be no different. They don’t have the talent, or the experience to go deep. The x-factor in this series will be Goaltending. Hiller, and Emery are hurt, and Anaheim is forced to go with 3<sup>rd</sup> string goalie Dan Ellis. Ellis has never seen a playoff game before, and could get shelled early by a Nashville team that doesn’t know when to quit. Nashville, on the other hand, will go with Pekke Rinne in Goal. No playoff experiences either, but has been standing on his head since late October, and I don’t see him looking back anytime soon. His biggest challenge will be stopping NHL Goal scoring leader Correy Perry, and his line mates of Getzlaf, and Ryan. If you can stop them, the pain isn’t over. The ducks second line boasts one of the most prolific goal scorers in NHL history in Teemu Selane. Shea Webber is going to have his Hands full, for sure. In spite of their Goaltending issues, Anaheim is still the better team here. <br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Verdict:</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Anaheim in 6. <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">San Jose Sharks (2) vs Los Angeles Kings (7):</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And the winner of the “Who gives a Flying Rats ass Cup” is…. This series! The most interesting story line here is that there are more teams from California in the playoffs, than Canadian teams in the playoffs. That’s really sad. The Sharks are primed for their annual playoff failure, but I have a feeling that it won’t be a first round exit. The kings are without Anze Kopitar, and Justin Williams. 2 of their top 3 leading scorers. Without the teams only real offensive threat, they will be hard pressed to provide any kind of resistance to San Jose. Jonathan Quick will again provide stellar goaltending for the Kings, but it won’t be enough. <br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Verdict:</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> San Jose in 5.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Detroit Red Wings (3) vs Phoenix Coyotes (6):</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In a re-match of a series that last year provided us with some very entertaining hockey, the Wings will once again be entertaining the Coyotes. This series is a lot more even than it looks on paper. These teams tend to match up very well against one another. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That makes it a very hard series to call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year these teams went to game 7, where Detroit beat the Coyotes by a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t remember the exact score, but it was officially a “Rout!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t expect that this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phoenix has been quietly playing well this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Bryzgalov stands on his head, then I can easily see The Coyotes winning this series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if there has to be an upset somewhere… I would imagine it could be here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Verdict:</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phoenix in 7</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Boston Bruins (3) vs Montreal Canadiens (6)</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There is some serious bad blood here. These two team do not like each other. This will be the 34<sup>th</sup> time they have met in the playoffs, and Montreal has had the edge in the past. But this year the “Big Bad Bruins” seems to be back. The line of Lucic, Horton, and Kreijci are just about the biggest trio we have seen in the league since the “legion of Doom. “ Then you add in all 6’7, 270lbs of Zedeno Chara, and Holy crap those guys are Big!! The bruins also have arguably the best goalie in the NHL right now in Tim Thomas. How are you going to beat these Beasts in the east? With Speed and skill. And Montreal has plenty of speed. The players might be smaller, but man can they move the puck quick. And that is what’s needed to beat a team that can dominate you physically. Don’t give them too many chances to slow you down. Make them try to play your game. In goal for Montreal is Carey Price. Can he duplicate what Jaroslaz Halak did last year? I think he can. He has the talent, and the drive, now all we need is to see it in the playoffs. If Boston gets their way, and imposes their size on the smaller Montreal forwards, it’s all over. But if Montreal can use their speed and skill to keep the bigger Boston boys chasing, then this could be an upset waiting to happen. All the smart money is on Boston to win, but I’ve never been known to be the sharpest Knife on the tree. <br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Verdict: </span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Take Montreal in 7. “You cannot hit, what you cannot catch!”</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Vancouver Canucks (1) vs Chicago Blackhawks (8)</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Here we go again. Chicago has really had Vancouver’s number in the playoffs the last 2 years, ousting them in the second round twice. The second time en route to a Stanley Cup. On paper, this is an obvious mismatch. Vancouver has better Offence, better Defense, better Goaltending, better Power play, better penalty Kill… Better everything. But what they don’t have… A Stanley cup. The regular season is over, and all the teams are back to square one. The reason that the Canucks have had so much trouble with Chicago is that Blackhawks coach Joel Quenville, seems to have employed a game-plan that is tailor-made for slowing down the Canucks. Alain Vingeult is going to have to figure out a way to counter act that. And it’s not going to be easy. Looking down the Line ups, the Canucks are deeper in every position. Vancouver’s top 6 on defense are arguably the best top 6 in the league. And their top line of Daniel & Henrik Sedin, matched with Alex Burrows can almost score at will. Their Power-play has dominated since October, and most importantly… Roberto Luongo is Rested, and ready! The time has come for Vancouver to exercise their past Demons, and get over that Chicago Hump. They have the talent, they have the desire, now it’s time to put it into action. This team is just way to good to fall prey to the same team 3 years in a row. Chicago is just not the same team they were in 2010. Sketchy goaltending down the stretch, a bottom 6 group of forwards that was decimated by the salary cap. This will be the best series of the first round, in terms of entertainment value, but maybe not in Length.<br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Verdict:</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Canucks in 5 (maybe 6)<br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Oracle has Spoken. </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></div>Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-55481545038296001252011-03-31T13:13:00.000-07:002011-03-31T13:13:29.775-07:00Coming out Atheist.<div class="MsoBodyText3" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5ThoN_yhO6pjIB1QssyEN2yqVBXBfZT7jwXadDXWyKR178zwhgFDNoIT5jaj14epWraeCAzAt6RdBAyD2cw0-l5TgRIYH2PN0eCdICAHzDj_2rfZFGmf6d5qCylbTjqLTmhK50_jCbiG/s1600/a3d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5ThoN_yhO6pjIB1QssyEN2yqVBXBfZT7jwXadDXWyKR178zwhgFDNoIT5jaj14epWraeCAzAt6RdBAyD2cw0-l5TgRIYH2PN0eCdICAHzDj_2rfZFGmf6d5qCylbTjqLTmhK50_jCbiG/s320/a3d.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><em>Hello again to my Loyal Follower…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will likely be the longest post I will make here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was witting it on my laptop it easily spanned 15 pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trimmed it down just over 5, but it is still a doozy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had planned on working on it more, and releasing it later in the year, as I have multiple writing projects on the go, but a recent event with a friend on Facebook has inspired me to expedite the process and release it a bit earlier than originally intended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My process has been slow and calculated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every step taken with careful planning; and executed with military precision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t imagine taking this whole process as one giant leap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mind would have gone into stimulus overload.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This post was pieced together over a 7-8 month period, so parts may seem a bit choppy, but none the less, I think it gets the point across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will quote a particular person a number of times, only because no matter how long I sit and think, I can’t express my feelings through words better than he already has.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept going back to the same words he used, so I figured I’d just quote him when appropriate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So here it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope you enjoy it.</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When I was little, I always did what I was told, as any good Christian boy should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My parents went to church every Sunday like clockwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked those Sundays, because I got to see some of my other friends, play with the wide array of toys, and run around in the gym.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And on the way home we went to McDonalds for a Happy meal! Oh, and they threw in some religion too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They taught us about Jesus, God, and the bible, but never really getting into too much detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were young, and impressionable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We believed our elders knew more than us, and so we believed it with out really thinking about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, Jesus Died for our sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sucks to be Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never really thought about it too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took what our teacher said at face value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My parents seemed to think everything here was on the up and up, so I went with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was one of those blind followers, who didn’t examine what I was being told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was until I reached about 14.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when my Eyes began to open.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In our Church, which happened to be Lutheran, at 14 a person qualified for what is called “Confirmation Class.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a 2-year program of Bible study, and once a week classes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon completion of this course you are paraded out in front of the Congregation in a white robe and you proclaim your commitment to God in front of all your friends and Family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was in those two years where I started to realize…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t believe a word of this crap!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In Sunday school we were read specific passages from the bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just the stuff they wanted us to know, or accept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The usual, like how a guy lived in a whale, another guy put 2 of every living creature on a boat, how some other guy died and rose from the dead, and how his mother was a virgin, Blah blah blah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in Confirmation class things were a little more in depth, and that is where my belief in this deity began to waver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of our “homework” (yeah, homework from Bible class, yippy) was to read the bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were only given specific chapters to read, but being a keener, I read the whole damn thing… twice!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“In the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth…” “Ok, so if god created everything, how old is the universe?” I asked our Pastor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His answer was, according to the Bible, the earth was approximately 5000-6000 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok, but if that is true, then how do you explain the dinosaurs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aren’t they over 65 million years old?” He told me that the earth wasn’t old enough for that to be accurate, and that carbon dating techniques are flawed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmm, right off the bat I had pinned him in a corner, because I knew that carbon dating was fairly accurate, we were taught that in our grade 9 Science class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a hard concept to grasp, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carbon degrades at a specific rate, and using that you can determine how old an object is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Score 1 for me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Adam and Eve, the first 2 humans on the planet, placed in the Garden of Eden by god.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok, if we are all descendants of Adam and Eve, and if human in-breeding leads to Genetic Mutation, how have humans been able to survive this long without being deformed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And didn’t the bible say incest was a sin?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well Jason, Adam and eve weren’t brother and sister, so that would be OK.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But the bible says they only had 3 sons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So wouldn’t that have meant that one of those sons would have had to sleep with his mother?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And wouldn’t that have been incest, and a sin?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pastor didn’t really have an answer for that one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only 2 weeks in and I’ve got him on the ropes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry Pastor, 2-0.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I guess the next step is Noah, the ark, the flood, and 2 of every living creature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok, how was it possible for someone to build a boat capable of carrying 2 of all 10 billion+ species on earth, and then have them dispersed so that they all end up in the right place afterwards?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only answer he could offer was that God had helped him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry dude, but that answer doesn’t work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, and since god had killed everyone on Earth, and left only a single Family… aren’t we back to the incest question again?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again I had him stumped. 4-0.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many Cultures that have “Noah” stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are all along the same lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Big flood, boat full of goods and animals, happy landing on a hilltop, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of these stories originated in the areas around the Tigris, and Euphrates rivers, around what is now present-day Iraq.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One such story involves a Sumerian King, named Zyethsudra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One year, about 2100BC, there was a 6-day storm and the Euphrates River overflowed the levys, and a lot of people got killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zyethsudra commandeered a local barge, and rode the flood down stream where he eventually ran aground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being thankful to be alive, he offered a sacrifice in a hilltop temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Big flood, boat full of goods, happy landing on a hilltop!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there is historical, and archaeological evidence to support that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I should probably mention that I wasn’t the only person in this class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were 5 of us in this group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, while I was grilling the Pastor to provide me with any evidence, or proof of some kind, the others were taking notes, and reading ahead so they would be ready for next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far all of my questions, and logic, had fallen on deaf ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were so convinced that God existed, that they didn’t even want to hear what I had to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was challenging their Faith, and God is infallible, and shouldn’t be challenged… apparently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be honest, at this point believed in God, but I was starting to wonder if maybe my faith was misplaced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My parents and grandparents were still avid Christians, and if I didn’t get confirmed, I would be letting them down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I toned down the questions a little bit, and tried to accept things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But really, that train had left the station, and there was no going back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Well, back to our in-flight movie…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As our Bible readings continued, I discovered many more passages along the way that I felt required some explanation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, I’ve got more… lots More!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Moses, and the Red Sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the bible tells us that there are thousands of Hebrews enslaved in Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ok, so if there were these Hebrew slaves, how come the Egyptians, who kept immaculate records, never mentioned any Hebrew slaves anywhere in their history?” Apparently they were stricken from the record, so as to not cause any undue embarrassment for the Pharaoh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds reasonable, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t want to be responsible for the loss of an entire Kingdom’s working class either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If they wandered around in the desert for 40 years, wouldn’t they have left behind some kind of evidence?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hundred thousand people, in the desert for 40 years… they had to have left something behind, right? Nope!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, it’s really not that far between Egypt and Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did Mosses really have to part the Red sea?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean if they were building pyramids, wouldn’t they have been slaves at Giza, which is far enough North that they could have walked around the tip of the Red sea with out having to cross a 40 mile wide patch of water?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And why did god need 10 Plagues?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Couldn’t he just appeared to the Pharaoh, and delivered his message in person?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And why kill the first-born sons?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were just innocent children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the people that committed the crime, but their children?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that really the work of a loving God?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently this god works in Mysterious, inefficient, and breathtakingly cruel ways.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And I can go even further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a few specific examples of some of the Passages in the Bible that, for some reason or another, are never mentioned in Church.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt left 72.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Exodus 21:7, says it is OK to sell your daughter into Slavery. (not even in Nevada!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt left 72.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Exodus 35:2, states that any person who works on the Sabbath should be put to death. (You gonna feel good about enforcing this one?)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt left 72.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Corinthians 11:14, “Doth not even nature itself teaches you that if a man has long hair, it is a shame unto him.” (ever seen a painting of Jesus?)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt left 72.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Corinthians 11:19-24, Commands that no man shall go near a woman when she is in her “Period of menstrual uncleanliness.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt left 72.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">5) Matthew 1:16; “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in Luke 3:23, “And Jesus himself began to be about 30 years of age, being the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So who is Joseph’s daddy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jacob, or Heli?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt left 72.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">6)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” But in Jon 14:28, “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So who is greater than, or equal to whom?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt left 72.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">7)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Genesis 32:30 "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." But, in John 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time.”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">If it’s your God, and your God is Infallible, you can’t throw out some of the rules just because you don’t like them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">note, that that is one of my biggest problems with Christianity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bible contains so many contradictions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it is the “word of God” then it should be immaculate, right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And why do Christians, specifically Catholics, pick and choose the rules they like and the ones they don’t like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The double standards are really obvious, and I don’t know why more people have it figured out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faith, of all the supposed “Virtues” is by far the most over ratted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Faith is believing in something you know ain’t true.” –Samuel Clemmons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText3" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><em>“We were told long ago, and for a long time, that there was only the earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That we were the center of everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That turned out to be wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We still haven’t fully adjusted; we’re still in shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The universe is not what we expected it to be, it’s not what they told us it would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This cosmic understanding is all new to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there’s nothing to fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re still special; we’re still blessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there might yet be a heaven, but it isn’t going to be perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we’re going to have to build it ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I have something that could be called a soul that needed saving… then Science saved it, from religion!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>–Phil Hellenes</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I asked the Pastor about many of these, or similar, passages and got the generic excuses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two or more Authors, You have to have Faith, Sometimes the Bible is Literal and sometimes its symbolic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These excuses continued for the 2 years of the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even got the same answers from my parents, grandparents and friends when I asked them if they ever thought about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the beginning of the end for my Faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still a Christian at this point, but my scepticism had grown to a point that by the time I was 16, and preparing for my Confirmation into the Lutheran Congregation, I was firmly Agnostic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had progressed from Lutheran, to Agnostic in less than 2 years, but this was only the tip of the iceberg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had made great progress, but I was still torn between the two sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My family, and friends were pushing me in one direction, but my Mind was pushing me in a completely different direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a young man, and not very mature at the time, it was difficult for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I moved fully to Atheist a little later, but for now, back to the classroom.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now I’ve never been any good at Science, or mathematics. I would write it off as having very poor teachers from grade 3 through 12. The kind of teachers who when I would ask a question would treat me like I was an idiot for even asking. “Why? What do you mean why? It’s because I said so, that’s why. Now get back to your desk and be Quiet.” So my question asking was stunted for about 4-5 years. I just sat in class, and tried to absorb what the teacher said without ever questioning the reasoning. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was, until I got to that Class at the church. I was told there to ask any questions I may have, whenever they came up. (insert “devilish” Smile here) So suddenly my curiosity was being stimulated. I was allowed to speak up, and get an explanation. So up went my arm, on a regular basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was actually told to stop asking so many questions, as the class is only 2 hours long. “Save those questions for Sunday morning after the sermon, young Man.” But I digress. I love Science, I was really interested in learning about Physics, and Chemistry, and Biology; the how, the where, and the why of life and the universe. I knew that those classes could offer me more insight into the origins of the planet and the universe. But sadly, my math skills were so diminished by poor teaching at earlier grades that the concepts were difficult for me to grasp, and I ended up Flunking out of those classes I so thoroughly enjoyed. So since I knew I wasn’t going to be a physicist, or a chemist, or a biologist, I turned to places that I could get that information, the Library (the books on Darwin, and Planets, and the big bang were always there. I don’t think anyone besides me ever read them), PBS (Bill Nye the Science guy), and Discovery channel (many programs on Geology, astronomy, galactic motion, Atoms, continental drift, carbon dating, Solar Cycles, global climate patterns etc). I was fully convinced at this point that the earth was not 5000 years old as the bible claims it to be. More like 3.4 Billion years. The church is off by a fraction or two! I’d give them a few million years or so, but to be off by over 3.3 Billion… Seriously??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we now know the approximate age of the universe to be around 14.7 billion years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also taught in school, at a young age, that the earth moves around the sun, a little tidbit that was contradicted by the bible by the way. I made a point of brining that up in Bible class as well, and got those same generic responses. “Well that may have been an exaggeration. There were many Authors whose godly work was collaborated to form the Bible, it was possible that someone may have misinterpreted God’s words, and said the earth was the center. Also the original Bible was written in Latin, and possibly a word or two may have been mistranslated.” Ok, so the divine word of God was misrepresented by an idiot author, or mistranslated by another idiot. What all-powerful god would have allowed his divine word to be mistreated as such??). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText3" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><em>“When I compare what scientific knowledge has done for me, and what religion tried to do to me… I sometimes literally Shiver!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Religions tell children that they might go to Hell, and they must believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While science tells children they came from the stars, and presents reasoning they can believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve told plenty of young kids about stars and atoms and galaxies, and the Big Bang, and I have never seen fear in their eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only amazement, and curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do Kids swim in it, and adults drown in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happens to reality between our youngest years and adulthood?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could it be, that someone promised us something so beautiful that our universe seems dull, empty, even frightening, by comparison? “–Phil Hellenes</em></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText3" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><em>“There is no word for such experiences that come through Scientific, and not Mystical, revelation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason for that, is that every time someone has such a “Mindgasm,” religion steals it, simply by saying ‘Ah, you’ve had a religious experience.’ And spiritualists will pull the same shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And both camps get angry when an Atheist like me tells you that I only had these experiences after rejecting everything supernatural.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I do admit, that after such experiences, the moments when reality hits me like a winning lottery ticket, I often think about religion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And how Lucky I am that I am not religious.” –Phil Hellenes</em></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText3" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">At about the halfway point of the class, we moved on from the Old Testament, to the New Testament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The virgin Birth, Jesus, the crucifixion, and Jesus rising from the dead were the main focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus’ mother was supposedly a virgin, blessed with the Son of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like what Denis Leary had to say about that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have no doubt that a guy named Jesus existed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But 9 months before he was born, I believe that someone sure a shit banged the hell out of his mom!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I was sceptical of a virgin birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t sleep through health class in grades 8 and 9, so the mechanics of making a baby were not all that foreign to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And by this time (15), I was no longer a virgin, so I had some first hand experience with those mechanics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could imagine though, that 2000 years ago, the whole baby making process would be a bit of a mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure they understood the cause and effect of sex, but not quite sure they knew about what happened once the deed was done.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Of course if a guy named Jesus lived, he had to die, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was interesting to learn was that Jesus was not the only Messiah at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were hundreds of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monty python’s “Life of Brian” was more historically accurate the Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One prime example was Apalonious of Tyana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He claimed to heal the sick, walk through walls, and walk on water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was persecuted for his beliefs, tried by the local Roman courts, crucified, and his followers claimed he rose from the dead a few days later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sound familiar?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Let’s take a moment to go over some of the relevant lessons we can learn, from the King of Kings…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Elvis Aaron Priestly, Died in 1977.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was born and Lived at time when most people in his land were Illiterate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have many firsthand reports about Elvis’ Life, we have many reliable records, Medical, Musical, and otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even so, there are people, Lots of people, who Insist Elvis is not really dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sound Familiar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the dozens of books written by People who actually knew Elvis contain Conflicting Stories of his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sound Familiar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have Photographs of Elvis, in the Morgue, Dead as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>F%#King Doornail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in Just 30 years, there are stories that he’s not dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In “Fit for a King” an important work delving into Elvis’ eating habits, the author suggests that in order to make Elvis’ Beloved Fried Chicken you will need ¾ cup of flour, Paprika, salt & Pepper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In “Are you Hungry tonight? A definitive look into Elvis’ Favourite foods.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The King’s Beloved Fried Chicken Recipe calls for ½ Cup of Flour, Salt & Pepper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glaring Differences… ¼ cup less Flour No Paprika!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>F#&&ing Heretics!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now Imagine trying to figure, which was the real Elvis Chicken, 2000 years from now.” – Penn Jillette.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">One thing I have to mention here, is probably the most disturbing thing any religious person has ever said to me. I should probably have been less shocked to hear it, but it was really unexpected at the time. I had just barely started sticking my Toes out of the closet, when my Kidneys started to fail, and someone I won’t say whom, but if they ever look me up, and read this they’ll know who they are. She said to me… “Maybe God is mad at you for saying he doesn’t exist. And he’s punishing you by putting you through all this pain. Maybe if you went back to Church, he’d heal you.” I was both Insulted, and dumbfounded at the sheer Ignorance, and stupidity of that statement. And It set me back a few months in my Escape from the closet, but in actuality that incident turned into one of the 2 Key events that year that would send me out of the darkness, Guns a Blazin! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Having a Long-term, what most doctors would classify as a Terminal Illness, takes a lot out of you. It really affects who you are as a person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It severely alters your perception of life and death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, like most people, when getting the news, went through my own process of denial, grief, bargaining, and acceptance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But at no point in that process did I ever “Pray” or ask God to make it go away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew better than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to a Hospital, and talked to Doctors, Pharmacists, Dietitians, and Specialists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt they had a much better chance to do some good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though the help was there, I still had a lot of trouble accepting it, and living with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what made that trouble worse was the constant badgering I would get from Religious friends and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always wanting me to pray with them, or wanting to pray for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst among them would invite me to church, or send me emails about a spiritual healer who was going to be visiting nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t count the number of Emails I got in the first few months after my Initial round of Dialysis began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually had one distant friend send me an email about Reverend Peter Popoff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would suggest you look him up on You tube, and refer to the episode of the tonight show where he was Exposed as a fraud by James “The Amazing” Randi (more on Him in other posts).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 2005, and I was firmly an Atheist, but I was still Hiding my beliefs from those closest to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Parents, and grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I still haven’t told my Grandparents in California, simply because I think it might crush them emotionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are retired, and spend every spare second they have working in, for, or on the church, at various functions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finding out their eldest Grandson won’t be joining them in Heaven might just destroy them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not without compassion, so in this one case I felt it best that they just remain blissfully unaware where I stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are smart people, so I’m sure they will figure it out, when I won’t join them for Sunday service during my next visit, or spend any unnecessary time in the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I start hissing and spitting at the cross, or get hit by a very accurate bolt of lightning, would possibly be other clues, but as I have stated earlier… the likelihood of any type of divine intervention is zilch!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I appreciate the concern these friends and family have shown for my condition, I just wish that they would do something much more productive to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2000 years of prayer hasn’t done anything, why would it start working now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have had my name added to “Prayed chains” that have circled the globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, the concern has not fallen on deaf ears, but the methods of expressing that concern have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want or need any prayers, what I need is a donor, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, question for you, my dear reader… what is your Blood type??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha Just kidding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or am I?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe not!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone wants to help me, but isn’t willing to give up an organ, there are many other ways that I would love for you to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go to your local Blood clinic and Donate blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have needed blood in the past (when they gut you like a fish to get access to your innards and poke around for an hour or two, you lose a bit of blood), and it is a worthwhile cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone from the Kidney foundation (make sure they are real!!!) asks you for a donation, give them $5 bucks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every little bit helps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Attend a fund raising event in support of the kidney foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure there will be one near you at some point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or hell, just come spend 10 minutes with me at dialysis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All most of the people there really want is someone to talk to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It pretty freaking lonely sitting there for 4 hours, alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for F**ks Sake, don’t pray for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want you to waste your breath, or your precious Neurons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 72.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Up to about 2006, I would only tell my closest friends that I didn’t believe in God. I still hadn’t informed my Mother, or sister (my dad Knew, and definitely has been very supportive. I think he’s still on Gods side, but he is seeing my Point.) of my beliefs, but thought they would figure it out in time. But it was in 2005 I discovered a Television show called “ BullShit.” Out of the USA. Now most of my friends have heard me sing it’s praises, but that’s not what I’m here to do today. The two stars of the show are Penn Jillette, and Teller. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both very talented Magicians, and entertainers. I had known about them for years, and liked their magical routines, but had no Idea they were out of the closet atheists. Watching interviews of them discussing their faith, or lack thereof, was the second event that gave me the confidence to make it public where I stood. It was so inspiring to me, just to hear that from someone that I had admired. Just hearing a famous person say, “There is No God” was profound. Seeing them speak so openly, and confidently, really did give me the push I needed. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I suffered through discrimination similar to what Gays went through in the 80’s and 90’s, and what Blacks went through for 400 years. Not to the same extent, but it still affects you. Your friends shun you; people give those awful stares of fear and hatred. The worst was the Catholics. I received the worst bullshit from them. “You’re a sinner and you’ll go to Hell! You’re a tool of the Devil! You’re an Evil person!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do you hate God?” Awe, how 1742 of you to think that. Don’t worry, your rotting corpse will be in a hole in the ground soon enough. So in order to keep my beliefs a secret, I hid them away, down deep in my soul, and paid lip service to friends and family, just to avoid the segregation I was already starting to feel. And that is exactly what the Church wanted me to feel. They wanted me to feel alone, un loved, and un wanted by society, so that I would come running home to the church, tail between my Legs, begging for their forgiveness and love. In exactly the same way Alcoholics Anonymous brings people to the church, although, that is another blog entry all together. But I didn’t go crawling back; I cut ties with the church all together. I stayed true to what I knew was right. And I knew it wasn’t them. The hate and disgust I took away from the church wasn’t from the people themselves. Away from religion they are kind enough people. But it’s when their beliefs are challenged in any way that the forked tongues began their assault. With “Saving me” as their ultimate goal, the people I once called Friends, my classmates from Sunday school, and even my family began their attempt at twisting me back in to the Pew. They began talking behind my back, pointing, and whispering, “there’s the Atheist!” I was honestly waiting for them to start throwing rocks at me, like they would have done in the Old Testament. “Stone to death the disobedient children.” But their assault had taken on a much more diabolical method. Mental torture. I know they were trying to do what they thought was best for me, Bring a lost sheep back to the herd, but what would have been best would have been to just let me go quietly. I did try to take few with me when I left, (I can be a bit of a vindictive jackass when people go out of their way say, or do, something hurtful to me. “To thyne own self be true!”) But, they were so firmly Brain washed it was a hopeless endeavor. It’s like a scene from a bad movie where the hero gets away, but walks away slowly, watching his friends chant, and walk like zombies back to the alter in a trance. It was just like that! Really eerie!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now, as far as I know, in the Lutheran Faith there is no official way to renounce your baptism. I’ve thought about it for years, how would I go about it, what would I do, or what would I say, or hell, who would I say it to. Well if there was a God, then a prayer should suffice, but since I know that won’t work, for obvious reasons… I’ll just put it here. </span></div><div class="MsoBodyText2" style="margin: auto 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As of this day (the day this is posted, it may have been written weeks before, or even months. I’m a slow writer, what are you going to do? Cut me some slack!)… Where was I, Oh right? As of this day, in front of the witnesses who have read my Blog, and by those who have spread its message to others, I Jason Michael Hofer of Calgary Alberta, baptized at Prince of Faith Lutheran church, herby Renounce my Baptism, and cut all ties to the Lutheran Church and it’s Deity of Choice. There. To me it’s official. If anyone reading this knows someone at that particular church, can you please inform them that they wasted their time money and precious holy water on a heretic!! I thought for sure, if there was a God, I would have just burst into flames… wait for it… waaaaaaait for it…. Nope No flames. I’m good. Oh, and they aren’t the only dumbasses I should renounce my connection to. To the Congregation of Concordia Lutheran Church in Penticton, BC. The 2 years you spent preparing me for a life as a loyal member of you parish (that confirmation class I spent so much time mocking, and picking apart piece by piece for a dozen or so paragraphs before), has backfired. But I do wish to thank you. It was you, Pastor Knowles that really opened my eyes and allowed this mental transformation to occur. Your inability to hide the truth behind lies and propaganda has brought me true contentment with my world and myself. It’s because of your mediocre teachings that I was able to stand up, split myself from the herd, kick the shepherd in the balls and run like hell for my own salvation! So, also, if anyone reading this knows Pastor Knowles, please inform him of his folly. He’ll likely want to know what happened to his “Star” Pupil.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Unlike religious people, I look at all religions the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Christians believe in only 1 god, they are only one step away from being Atheist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To a Christian, Allah is not God, Buddha is not God, Krishna is not God, and the great JuJu up the mountain is not a God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well as an Atheist, I just took it one step farther.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t believe in any God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s funny how not a single Christian I try to talk to about his can understand it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ask them, do you believe in Allah?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about Zeus? No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what is the difference between them, and the Jewish/Christian God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well My God is the right one.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well says who?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Says God.” Or “Says the Bible.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well let’s get god in here to defend himself then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You call him up, and I’ll wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It occurred to me, about 2 weeks ago, when the topic of God came up with my Mother; she still doesn’t want to accept me as an Atheist. Ever since that day in the car, she has been asking me to “Come back to the Winning team,” or “can I at least pray for you?” Now, I love my mother to death, but I’m sorry Mom… I AM on the Winning team, and after 2000 years of observation by humans on the effectiveness of prayer… it’s clearly not working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it were working I would imagine that things around here would be a lot better. And I was on this team before we started winning. “I was here before it was Cool!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As Atheists, we’re still several years behind Homosexuals when it comes to being accepted by society, but I do think we are on a much faster track to being accepted. A Religious person would rather accept a homosexual into their group of friends (even though being gay is strictly forbidden by their god) than they would an Atheist. To them it’s the lesser of 2 evils, I would guess. “At least the gay guy believes in the same invisible puppet master I do”, sort of deal. As an “out of the closet” Atheist, I still get the discrimination everywhere. At work, the avowed Christians won’t even talk to me. But before they knew my views, were always inviting me to lunch. I have lost some very dear friends because of it. I no longer fit into their model of what a friend should be. I guess if you want to be their friend, you have to believe in the same invisible man. Its really saddens me that one of my best friends doesn’t want me around his children, because I’m an Atheist. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I live my Life by a set of values, and I don’t need a God, and eternal punishment hanging over my head to want to do good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s another hard thing for the Hardcore religious to understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Without God, there is no Morality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So to whom do you hold yourself accountable?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hold myself accountable to the other 6,999,999,999 people who inhabit the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t take God to tell you that Killing, stealing, cheating, and lying is wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All it takes is the acknowledgement of your own humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want kindness done to me, so I am Kind to those around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No need for the threat of eternal damnation, or Fire and brimstone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just be good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do unto others as you would have done unto you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s simple it’s direct, and it’s honest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we all could follow that principle, then who would need a God to tell us what is right and wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bearing in mind this is the same God that condones slavery, segregation, racism, torture, incest, and Murder is his tell-all autobiography called “The Bible.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I won’t be rewarded after I die for being a good person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My reward is that the people, who liked me, will remember that I treated them well, with respect, kindness, love, and compassion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s all the reward I will ever need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what will happen when I die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My body will shut down, rot away into dust, the nutrients will be reabsorbed in the ground and the cycle will start again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe if I’m lucky, someone will plant a tree above my grave, and the atoms that once made up the cells in my body will be absorbed as nutrients into that tree, and in a sense, part of me will live forever.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I am still recovering from the trauma of the treatment I have been getting from the Pious, the righteous, and the religious. I have found myself lately becoming less tolerant of religion in general, and even straying to an “Anti-Religion” point of view. I see the damage that religion has done to us as a culture, and a species. It has divided us along Imaginary lines in the sand. “You stay over there, and I’ll stay over here, because we don’t believe in the same Spooky, incompetent, father figure! And if you get to close, it’s all out war!” I really have trouble accepting people who are willing to fight, argue, or even kill, over something they are too Naïve, Ignorant, or Scared, to figure out on their own. It’s a tough line to walk, especially considering that, according to some polls, over 80% of the planet believes in a God, or Deity, of some kind. It’s staggering. Are 6 Billion people wrong? Well… the short answer is Yes. But the longer answer is, probably. I know in my mind, I’m 100% sure, and I have no doubts I have chosen the right path. All the facts are there to support that God didn’t create us; we evolved from lesser beings into an intelligent species. If you were to call Atheism a religion, then it’s the fastest growing religion on the planet. People are getting smarter, and they are figuring things out for themselves. So I do see some hope that man kind can pull itself out of the Dark ages and begin searching for the real answer to that age-old question… Why are we here? Not because some magic man said “POOF”… there’s life on the little green-blue rock. We know that life took over 3.4 Billion years to evolve to this point, and life will continue to evolve until time stops. At best estimates, that’s another 30 billion years… give or take. And I sure hope it doesn’t take that long for mankind to figure out its place in this great cosmic puzzle. But I would sure like to be around when we do. God will not show us the way to our own salvation. But maybe science, understanding, tolerance, and acceptance will. We are all human. Regardless of Race, religion, sexuality, height, weight, or Gender, we all deserve to live our lives on this “Pale Blue Dot. The only home we have ever known.” (Carl Sagan) Until we have the technology to start colonizing other worlds, we are stuck here with each other. And this continued bickering over these ridiculous superstitions is holding us back. It’s time we moved on… its high time we Evolved.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If I can offer any advice to someone who is either thinking about coming out, or is going through the initial stages of coming out, it’s “ride it out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ride it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stick to your guns, and don’t waver, not for a second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it’s your family that is the problem, they’re your family, they love you, they just don’t understand you, but they will come around, eventually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your friends desert you because you no longer fit the mold of a friend that they want, then they aren’t true friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, I lost a few friends already, and I’m sure I will lose more, but the good ones will stick with you, even if they believe differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And coming out as an Atheist may even open new doors, and bring you new friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has for me, it will likely work for you too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just remember that you are not alone in this fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are now a member of the team that “Wining.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And winning Hard!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go Team!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText3" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><em> <strong>“Religion paints everything not of itself as unholy, and sinful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it beautifies and dignifies it’s lies and Bigotry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a pig, wearing the finest robes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In its efforts to stop us facing reality, religion has become the reality we cannot face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at what religion has made us do, to ourselves and to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Religion stole our love and our loyalty, and gave it to a book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To a telepathic father that tells his children that love means kneeling before him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m not apparent, but I say those kids are gonna turn out messed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It cannot be healthy, for a child or a species.“<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>–Phil Hellenes</strong></em></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText3" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText3" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">As a bit of an add on, if you enjoyed this, or are looking for more. I would recommend looking up a gentleman on You Tube by the name of Phil Hellenes. And watching his videos, “Science Saved my Soul,” and “65 million years with a Creationist.” Both very good videos, one serious, the other quite humorous. I hope you enjoy them, and thanks again for taking the time to read this, and I hope it provided something for you. Or if it really pissed you off, and offended you to no end, then I’m glad also. I do thoroughly enjoy making the Pious, the Righteous, and the religions, angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They look so funny when they’re mad, it makes me laugh!</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 8pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">J</span></em></div>Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-89840092218882207382011-03-17T09:59:00.000-07:002011-03-17T09:59:31.448-07:00“They Want My Money!” Well, I was going to save this for when the next Cancer fundraiser was being Jack hammered into our brains by the local media Meat Puppets, but since someone at my office recently asked me for money… I thought I would send it out now.<br />
Every year, there are at least a dozen people at my Office who are asking for Money for Their Charity de jour. All of them seem to be related to some type of Cancer. Not that I don’t care, it seems like a good cause, and Cancer is dangerous, it’s scary, it’s a deadly disease. But… it’s not the only thing out there, and there are people out there who are not affected by it, who may want money, or attention paid to something else. Heart Disease is another big one, it affects almost everybody. Or Kidney Disease? It is out there in so many different forms, I couldn’t possibly list them all. Some are Genetic (like mine), and some are acquired by injury or illness. Many Diabetics will develop kidney disorder in their lifetime. And kidney disease can cause problems to the heart, lungs, liver, brain, Eyes and Ears. It can become a total body disease. I have had many of the issues associated with End stage renal Failure. My Blood pressure is high (not good), My cholesterol is high (really not good), and my Memory is not what it used to be (what). And As of now, I am not a “Survivor” and nor will I EVER be cured. This disease may take another 30-70 years to do it, but it will take my Life. But… Do you see me canvassing the entire office for Money for Kidney stuff? No. I could, but I wouldn’t get anywhere. Kidney disease is not a “Hot Button” disease. Nor is it “Sexy” enough for it to be widely talked about on TV, or in News papers and magazines. Cancer is Devastating, Granted. But in the grand scheme of things, it operates very Quickly. A few Months to a few years. You never hear of someone who has been fighting cancer for 50 years, do you? But Kidney Disease if a life long struggle. From the day you are Diagnosed, to the day you Die, it is how you live. Your life revolves around it. Not so with Cancer. Your life may Revolve around it for a few months, or a few years, but sooner or later, you will be Cancer free, or Dead. With me I will never be Cured, or “Disease free.” But I will be dead at some point. And when I die, in 10, 20, or 50 years, It will have played a major role. So which group has more call to ask for money? From my perspective, people who have Lifelong health issues to deal with have more right to ask for donations, than a “Survivor” who is in the clear. But I might be a little Biased… Just a smidge.<br />
<br />
Cancer, Cancer Cancer. Kind of like the old Brady Bunch Line, “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha. Why is it always about Marsha.” Exactly, why does it always have to be about Cancer? I can’t turn on a news report without someone prattling on about some Cancer Fund Raiser with Little pink Ribbons. Riding bikes, or walking, or running, or dancing, or singing, Jeez. What’s next, People having sex to cure cancer? Well, actually, I would be up for that one (no pun intended). But Seriously, I’m numb to it now, you’ve completely overloaded me on Cancer this, and Cancer that. And so… I’m Over it. Until these people start giving Kidneys, or Hearts, or Lungs, or Livers their fair share, Cancer will never see another dime from me.<br />
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Not trying to be Insensitive, just Rational. And I know being rational is difficult for a lot of people. Humans are irrationally Emotional by Nature. And Cancer people play on it very well. They stay away from facts, and focus on the numbers that will bring on an emotional response. How many people died this year, or this month, or even this week. And the numbers are Scary, I’m not trying to diminish the cause, let’s make that very clear. But when You hear 100 people will die this week from cancer, or 1 in5 people will have cancer in their lifetime. They are playing on your emotions of Love for a family member, or close friend who may have had it, or your fear that it may happen you. The truth is that about half (I don’t have an Oncologist beside me to give me the exact numbers) of cancers are treatable or curable with minimal effort, if detected early enough, of course. Some discomfort, some pain, but all in all, outcomes are looking better for them. And even the most aggressive and deadly cancers, have up to a 30% survival rate(some as low as 5%, but let’s stay positive). Not horrible odds, Not very good mind you, but I would take 30% over 0% any day, wouldn’t you? If someone was to come to me today and tell me “We have a Cure for your Kidney Disorder, but it only works 5% of the time. I’d sign up in a heartbeat. 5%, for all you math geniuses out there, is more than 0%. A ray of hope, no matter how miniscule it may be.<br />
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Kidney disease Sufferers have that Miniscule hope now. It resides in Stem cell, and Organ Cloning research. Right now, with Religious groups, Protest Groups (like Green-Peace. These freaking Weasels are trying to stop everything!) who think we are killing babies to get stem cells, and Governments who are Stupid enough to listen, these researchers are operating on Very Limited Budgets. The timetable right now, for the possibility of human trials in organ cloning, is somewhere in the range of 15-20 years, or More. In my opinion that is Not Nearly soon enough. With proper funding, and removal of the stupid “red tape” that these protest groups keep throwing in front of it, we could cut that time in half. 7-10 years, or sooner. Imagine, by the year 2017, we could have the technology to, once your birth organ fails, grow you a new one, perform a transplant, and have you go on your merry way with no anti-rejection drugs, or extended hospital stays. It is the stuff the creators of Star Trek, and Star Wars, could only dream about, while sitting in their basements playing Dungeons and Dragons.<br />
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But with all the focus on Cancer, the other researchers are having to take a back seat. Is one life more important than another? Is a Cancer Patient a more important Living thing than a Heart patient, or a Kidney Patient, or a Lung Patient. I say No. They are equally Important, and we need to start treating them as such. Stop putting the focus on What is “sexy,” and let’s start giving everyone who is sick, and needs help, an equal shot at Hope for a cure. Those TV “Meat Puppets” Like to talk Cancer because it is Scary. It’s sudden, it’s Fast, and it’s devastating. But what about the ones that are slow, Methodical, and just as devastating, but in a much more subtle way. They are not as Sexy, because they take time, and lots of it. As they slowly rot you away from inside. I know people with Health issues, whether it be Heart problems, or Liver problems, or Lung Problems. Are My Friends and I any less important than anyone else who is sick? No, we are equally important. I have had family members die of Cancer, 4 of them to be exact. And while they were sick, they never once bombarded friends and family with requests for money. And neither did their relatives after they died. They contribute to Cancer funds, but in their own way. I’m just asking for Equality. Is that asking too much?Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164011960406826439.post-58510202961446522422011-03-02T20:13:00.000-08:002011-03-02T20:13:37.181-08:00What if I didn't?A year and a half ago, I posted this on my Facebook page, and thought it would be a good start for my Blog. I'll have plenty more posts in the coming months, so check back.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hopefully this post can motivate someone to gert back something they lost, like I did.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Last week I met with my doctor to discuss my health, as it stands. Right now I feel pretty good. Starting to walk without my cane, playing with the dog, starting a workout program, things of that nature. When I sat down with the doctor, we discussed things like my activity level, physio, progress, and the like. But the most pressing question for me was, “Will I be able to ride a motorcycle?” To which he responded, “What if you fall?” It stunned me for just a split second. But I responded to his query with. “What if I got hit by a bus?” Would that stop me from going for a walk? Or what if I fell in the river? Would that stop me from crossing a bridge? Or got in a car accident? Would that stop me from driving my truck? What if I fell down the stairs? Or fell in the shower, or, or, or….??” So many “what ifs” we face every day, and never think twice about how dangerous they could be. So what if I fall. It’d hurt, I’d get up. Get fixed, and get right back on. We need to stop thinking about “what if” and consider “What if I didn’t?” Would I be able to forgive myself for not trying, would I regret it, and for how long? What if I didn’t go for a walk, and just stayed at home? Sure a bus’d never hit me, but would it really be worth it? Just sitting in my room, I’d be totally safe, but then I’d have to go for a shower, what if I fell? I could die. Well that’s out too. So I guess, I’d smell really bad, but at least I’m safe. <br />
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So what if I fall off a motorcycle? That would really suck, right? But, would I ever be able to forgive myself for not trying to get back something I lost, simply because it wasn’t 100% safe? Nothing we do is ever 100% safe. I cooked diner the other night, and could have cut my thumb off. Or blew up the house with the barbeque. But I didn’t!! And the food turned out great. What if I didn’t cook that meal, because I afraid to cut my thumb/finger off?? Or Blow something up?? I’d be really hungry right now, and people would make fun of me for being scared. Yes, cooking dinner isn’t obviously dangerous, it’s subtlety dangerous. We don’t think twice about it because we do it every day, and need food to live. How many people drive to work every day? 200 million? Ish? How many don’t make it home? 500…. 600… 1000. Every day. That is 0.000005% Mortality rate just driving to work. What do you think the mortality rate for walking down the street is? Or having a shower in the morning? Or cooking dinner? I’m sure someone blew up a BBQ trying to light it. And I’m sure a few people have fallen in the shower, not at 100km/h, but that is not the point I’m making. Nothing is safe. We can never make anything completely safe. <br />
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So what was the doctor’s big concern? Well as it turns out, popping a fake hip out of joint can be a very painful experience. I’ll take his word for it, it definitely doesn’t sound pleasant. And. no one wants to spend 6 hours in surgery, and months of rehab, rebuilding a person only to have him or her go out a screw it all up, I get it. I know full well it could happen. And I accept that. It will hurt more than anything I will ever feel in my life. But a few days of pain, cannot replace a lifetime of joy. “Pain goes away, chicks dig scars, and glory lasts forever.” Having been through all I have been through, and dealt with all I’ve dealt with, I am willing to take that risk to add a little joy to my life. Over coming all of this and getting back to being me… That is my Glory!! And I have plenty of scars, wanna see? And if it all goes awry, well… What if I didn’t?? I might get hit by a bus, or blow up a Barbeque, or fall off a bridge. Then what? I died anyway. Without really living. So what is the point? I am going to live the way I see fit. I will enjoy the time I have on this little rock, cause it’s all we get!! You only have one life, and we don’t get a do-over, or a mulligan. And you don’t get a rebate at the end of your life for being safe. So go on. Try something new, something dangerous, something crazy, maybe even something stupid. And make sure to tell me about it!! Remember it’s not “what if.” It’s “what if I didn’t?” </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Well, a year and a half ago, I did. Below is the bike I bought and have been enjoying for the last year. Weather permitting, i will continue to enjoy it this year.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqD1kMxx5XEuTd51jjgodCaGYUlMQhh3nh7KFYjs5E_mYMCSITF2FdUM0zn_LTZ6xre1H8n0M_210vbJSjNu1NdXosHUsbrrhAnJ6nFXEcZBAChc0SAKE86_QdWkR0SvOAwfb10HA8-rc/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqD1kMxx5XEuTd51jjgodCaGYUlMQhh3nh7KFYjs5E_mYMCSITF2FdUM0zn_LTZ6xre1H8n0M_210vbJSjNu1NdXosHUsbrrhAnJ6nFXEcZBAChc0SAKE86_QdWkR0SvOAwfb10HA8-rc/s320/013.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>Jay17http://www.blogger.com/profile/07036309258366562475noreply@blogger.com0