Updgrades and iPods

Today was update day. My parents got a new Mac and needed help getting the info off the old machine on the new one. I’ve been eyeing the new Mac operating system (Leopard) anyway. MobileMe holds a lot of promise as my email, calendars, address book, bookmarks, and all that jazz can be pushed to all my computers and my info on .Mac. That means I can get to my info anytime. The new operating system made accessing my home Mac from my laptop much easier too.

So I’ve spent the day installing upgrades on three machines. Quite a job, but it’s been a lot of fun. I also spent the better part of an hour installing all of Dad’s music on his Mac so he can use his new iPod that my sister got him for his birthday. He’s coming by tonight to pick up his equipment and get a quick tutorial for the iPod. Then we will hook up his FM modulator so he can listen to his music on the way back to Branson.

So where’s he been? Ah, he had to drive to Kentucky to pick up that leaky old Harley of his. Fixed good as new now. Turns out it was just a gasket for the leaking oil and a return spring in the transmission. Could happen to anyone. I’m glad it was nothing more. Typical wear and tear of an early 90’s motorcycle.

For an added bit of fun, I added all my pictures of Little Sturgis to his iPhoto library so he can reminisce. What a good son, eh, to share my boobie pictures with my Dad?

Back to Leopard, it is pretty dadgum cool so far and Mobile Me is some kind of bad dude. I make a change to email on my desktop. Say I get an email and I respond and place the email in a blog folder. Well, those changes are recorded or pushed n all machines and the Internet. Wicked cool. That makes for seamless transitions for a college student who works both from home and at school. Everything is the same, instantly.

Basking in the glory that is Mac. So how’s VISTA working for you PC-Weenies?

Rock Star of Politics Keeps Eye on Rural Missouri

Barack Obama, the presidential rock star, is opening 24 offices in rural Missouri this Saturday. No longer are St. Louis and Kansas City the golden girls of Missouri when it comes to politics. For once, a presidential candidate is taking notice of rural Missouri more than just as a quick campaign stop in Springfield.

It shows dedication and concern for rural Americans on the part of Obama. Has it occured before? Have we ever had a presidential candidate make such a move? I can't say for sure, but I am betting not.

We have been an unapologetic supporter of Obama for sometime now, despite the pissing and moaning of our r.e.d. democratic friend. We like him and hope he makes the change he purports to make. Bear in mind we are always congnizant of our political mantra: There is no such thing as a Christian politician. Be that as it may, we have high hopes for Obama and have been more excited about this election than ever before.

People with Disabilities Get the Screw at the Pump

Despite what Michael Savage blathers on about, persons with disabilities most simply need a little help in order to live an independent life. However, life is full of disappointment and discrimination especially when it comes to people with disabilities. In short, they get the shaft. Oh yes, they may qualify for the best parking spaces but having worked in the disability field for 8 years I can tell you that life is hard and painful for persons with disabilities.

Just pumping your own gas is a feat as this NBC undercover news report discovered. People with disabilities, such as Clayton Porter (who has no arms with which to pump his own gas) rarely get assistance at the pump despite that pesky law requiring it. Watch the videos to see how pump attendants assisted him. Hint: Sometimes they don’t; customers help out instead.

Now you may be wondering how a man with no arms can drive. That really is a valid question and I am going to answer it for you. Technology is such that a person may be unable to brush their own teeth but they can drive their own car.

I have a friend and former co-worker (I’ll call him “Cowboy”) who is paralyzed from the shoulders down. Larry at Simple Thoughts knows him. There is so much that Cowboy is unable to do on his own. Being paralyzed will do that to you, but Cowboy owns his own van and drives himself all over. Thanks to computer technology, he uses a zero-effort mini-wheel, and a mouth joystick. That idea may scare you especially if you have not worked in the field. Don’t feel bad. That is understandable. I have ridden with Cowboy and he is an excellent driver. It took time, months in fact, for him to learn how to drive. A special company from Louisiana installed the equipment and taught him how. Cowboy took his driver’s test and passed with flying colors.

Cowboy cannot pump his own gas. He either has to find someone to go with him, which is hard as he lives on his own. Or he relies on the goodness of gas station attendants (and the law) to pump his fuel for him.

Incidentally, Cowboy was an excellent employee of mine, working for me for nearly six years until Governor Blunt cut Medicaid and prevented Cowboy from working and also receiving Medicaid health care. A person whose situation is similar to Christopher Reeves’ needs Medicaid health insurance just to pay for medicine and equipment. Our small, non-profit business had two employees and could not offer health insurance. So rather than work, pay taxes, and contribute to the community, Cowboy has to sit at home and draw completely off the taxpayer. Cowboy would rather work, and did work for me as long as he was allowed. We don’t hear much from Michael Savage about that do we?

Christian nation, indeed. There is nothing Christian about screwing people with disabilities.

13-Year-Old Strip Searched at School Over Advil

Apparently the Safford Middle School, (Safford, AZ) thinks it is the Bush administration, and well within its rights to circumvent the law and the constitution in its own war, this war being the one on those evil D-R-U-G-S known as ibuprofen.

With an accusation from one student, the school district strip searched a 13-year-old eighth grade student over two alleged Advil pills. According to the press release, another student got caught with the medicine. Facing discipline she stated Savana Redding gave her the pills. That was enough information for a search of her personal belongings, which rendered no pills. That was not enough for the school district, which then took the child to the nurse’s office and performed a strip search. All of this occurred without any parental knowledge or notification.

The exposure yielded nothing. And in case you are wondering, the press release stated that young Miss Redding had “no history of disciplinary problems or substance abuse”.

As crazy as this sounds, the first court sided with the school district, but a federal appellate court ruled otherwise (Redding v. Safford Unified School District, No. 05-15759), finding the school’s actions unconstitutional. Damn that evil ACLU for protecting the rights of its citizens against unwarranted and illegal search.

Said the court: “A reasonable school official, seeking to protect the students in his charge, does not subject a thirteen-year-old girl to a traumatic search to ‘protect’ her from the danger of Advil,” the court wrote in today’s opinion. “We reject Safford’s effort to lump together these run-of-the-mill anti-inflammatory pills with the evocative term ‘prescription drugs,’ in a knowing effort to shield an imprudent strip search of a young girl behind a larger war against drugs.”

Where is the common sense? Bush illegally wiretaps without a FISA court order and a school district strip searches a 13-year-old without parental notification? I know I am not teaching yet, but something seems quite amiss.

Our favorite Internet Granny and ACLU operative posted the alert and this teacher jumped on the story.

What is a Hero? Understanding Batman: The Dark Knight

“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

– Harvey Dent, Gotham City Prosecuting Attorney
Batman: The Dark Knight

The newest installment in the Batman series of films (Batman: The Dark Knight) is not about capes, or villains, or even good versus evil as much as it is a cinematic essay on what it means to be a hero and the morality code – the self-imposed sand line – of the heroic icon.

To do good, to change the world, to save lives, the hero must endure pain, suffering and the scorn of the public and yet still stand at the end of the evening with his moral compass pointing North and code of honor intact. It is no easy task for anyone.

And who is the true hero? Is it the one who is perceived as such, the one whose real self is supplanted by and inferior to his iconic stature? Is it the one whose very being inspires goodness and heroics in others, or is it the one who sacrifices his own soul and self to save the others?

There are no clear lines in The Dark Knight (TDK). Blurred boundaries and fuzzy definitions infiltrate the grit and grime of TDK making the film a disturbing, discombobulating bit of storytelling. The chaotic nature of the Joker is disorienting and absolute, yet the goodness of Batman and Harvey Dent are delicate and fragile. Determined as they are, both are uncomfortable with the label of hero and mantle they must carry, each wishing the other would bear the brunt of the burden.

The Dark Knight is not easy to watch. It is not the fun-filled thrill ride of Iron Man or the sarcastic, pummel-happy film of Hellboy. TDK is unsettling and nasty. It is a reflective commentary of the sometimes destructive and dirty path of righteousness.

Who are our heroes? Have we chosen well? Has our society placed our faith in the righteous, courageous and good? Are we capable of even knowing? The verdict may well change from person to person. There are few Batman’s left. Too many of us enjoy the congratulations, the applause, the little rewards from our teachers, friends, and the public, for doing what is right and good. Batman gives us another path, if we chose to take it, when he repeatedly tells Lt. Gordon: “You don’t have to thank me.”

How many of those heroes are left in this world?

Our political leaders could learn a lot from Batman: The Dark Knight. If we allow ourselves to play by the rules of our metaphorical Jokers, the architects of chaos and destruction, allow them to define us, to control us, and more importantly to get us to change our moral code – our boundary lines of right and wrong – then we lose more than our freedom. We lose our identity and our souls.

Classrooms Designed for Success: Missouri Summit on Inclusive Education

The Missouri Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities is hosting a summit for educators interested in inclusion of children with disabilities into the regular classroom.

Classrooms Designed for Success!
October 15-16
Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center
Columbia, MO

Participants will take home tools, resources, and information that can be used in their classrooms. As well, a Call for Investment (grant) will be available for school districts that wish to implement collaborative teaching methods district-wide. In order to be eligibile school districts must send at least three team members (regular ed, special ed, administrators and parents) to the summit.

Maxi Pads, Boobies, and Christian Bikers

I have been on hiatus for the past few days, taking time out to spend with my dad and the extended family. Poor Skinny Kitty was left home, on her own, sans kid, hubby or dog for a week. So I’m sure it’s been a vacation for her as well.

On Thursday, I packed the bike and headed to Sturgis, KY for the Little Sturgis biker rally. It’s an annual event for me, dad, and some friends – an extended weekend of off-the-grid biker subculture. There are places in the US that common social rules and regs do not apply and Little Sturgis is one of them. No doubt you have heard of Sturgis (the big one), one of the major motorcycle rallies in the US. More commercial than biker, many have opted out of the South Dakota rally for a more grass-roots event. Enter Little Sturgis in Kentucky. This event takes place on the county fairgrounds, which is private land and free of law enforcement.

Little Sturgis is a strange place of biker counterculture, free from the box of social constraints. People come from all over to participate in a freedom rarely experienced by the rest of society. Think of Little Sturgis as a hillbilly Mardi Gras with no law enforcement: a tooth-free, clothing optional, camping trip with lots of partying and a big side of Christianity. Girls gone wild, indeed.

Partying and Christianity? Huh? I know, you read that and furrowed your brow, right? Me too. Biker culture is a strange sub-set of American life, a mini-community of radicals. There is something about an iron horse and black leather than frees the mind and soul from the constraints of modern society and allows one to live another life. Things that people do at a biker rally they would never do otherwise, such as showing off body parts normally covered by cloth.

Amongst the debauchery of the biker rally night-life are throngs of Christian motorcyclist gangs. Nowhere else in the world do devout Christians and secular party-goers get along so well as at the biker rally. The Christian biker groups set up tents throughout the rally serving water, coffee, lemonade, and also offering the Water of Life. Their ministry is not the evangelical shouting common with street corner conversions. Rather, these folks are bikers who enjoy the biker tradition; they simply offer a water ministry to keep people safe and hydrated (which is biblically-rooted). (As far as I could tell they did not party.) If one chooses to discuss Christ, they are there to help and offer literature, but only if one seeks it. The mission is clear and they are up as late as the partiers, some open 24-hours. I used them often, filling up my water bottle and thanking them for their water and their mission. These are my kind of Christians. Good, solid folks who were not there to judge the debauchery, but rather to have fun and follow their mission. It must be a hard job amongst the clothing-scant, inebriated lot riding the biker parade until the wee hours of the morning.

Christian Motorcycle Association filling up water containers.

Dancing the night away.

Drunken dirt drags. Most of the drivers were pretty ripped,
I think. Crazy but fun.

I would offer more details, but it would render the post “Not Safe For Work”. I cannot post most of the pics, but I wish I could. They are something to see.

I can tell you about our snafu. Dad’s Harley broke down. Actually, it started out with problems, but gained new ones toward the end. As we left, his rocker box was leaking oil, which is not good when that oil hits the back brake. Makes stopping a tad touchy. We made a make-shift maxi-pad out of a terrycloth towel and a small bungee cord. I can show you pictures of that, but I do that more to gouge him than anything else. I’m a stinker like that. On Friday night, we were heading out for a ride when he found he could not shift. The linkage was loosey-goosey. We had to call Progressive’s roadside assistance and had the tow truck take the bike to the Harley dealership. I also have pictures of that. Come to find out, they were swamped and could not fix it in time. A transmission is no easy tear down.

We tried to rent a U-Haul, a Ryder, and a Penske truck. No can do in Kentucky as it turns out. U-Haul would not allow us to rent a truck one way. What the Hell? Isn’t that the point of a dadgum U-Haul? Ryder never answered the phone. Penske required us to drain all fluids out of the bike. Crazy. So we decided to let the Harley dealership keep the bike and we would come back for it.

Now to rent a car. Not an easy task in Paducha, KY either. We called Enterprise as they will pick you up. It was no help. Although we told them exactly what we wanted to do on the phone (rent a car one way to Branson, MO) once they got us to the store, they told us they did not rent one-way cars. Again with this crap! Tough. They were closing in 20 minutes and we were stranded out-of-state. I was hot and I informed the manager than they had to do something as they go us all the way out there for nothing. Enterprise took us across town to the airport to another car rental agency (Hertz) and they did offer one-way rentals, but at the lovely cost of more than $400.

We made it back home safe and sound and with plenty of stories to tell. Most of which cannot be posted here. You’ll have to ask at the next blogger’s meeting. By the way, we need to do that before summer’s end. If you ask nicely, I’ll show you the pictures of the rally.

The Real Fraud with Medicaid and Medicare

It’s the disabled and the elderly who are burdening the costs of health care in the state. You betcha. It’s not the health care industry itself, engaging in fraudulent business practices who rape the sick, the poor, the elderly, the disabled. It’s always the most vulnerable of society who is the problem, not the big, power bosses of industry. They are squeaky clean.

And good old Matt Blunt, the young and inexperienced, the job-hopper, ripped these vulnerable citizens a new one just to save the state money, when he could have just as easily taken the greedy bosses to task and stopped the real fraud.

Seems someone didn’t turn a blind eye to the fraud committed by hospitals.

Where Do Eggs Come From, Exactly?

Thanks to the Bob and Tom Show, I don’t know if I will ever see a chicken egg in the same way. Boiled eggs are looking better and better. Anywho, I just learned that chickens (and other creatures) have only one hole from which poo, pee and babies are excreted.

That’s right. Our beloved eggs-over-easy come from the a chicken’s brown eye. I assumed that they were like us in that they had a special orifice for urine, another for fecal matter, and yet another as the sex hole. Not so, according to veterinarian Amber, who called in to the show to set the record straight. By the way, that single orifice is called the cloaca, which is the Latin term for sewer. Nice.

Elected Official Finally Follows The Law

Circuit Clerk, Steve Helms, finally took down his poster of the 10 Commandments from his office. He claims the following:

1. It was not a religious poster, but a patriotic one.
2. The poster supports the Judeo-Christian values of the country.

So was it religious or not? He seems to make two cases. The telling tale is that he ran to local Christian lawyer, Dee Wampler. It was religious. He knows it; I know it. We are not stupid. If it were really about remembering those killed on 9-11 then there are plenty of 9-11 posters that have nothing to do with the Decalogue. It was never about that.

My guess is it was about politics and a subversive effort to remind people that he is a Christian and he is the one who should be elected again. Not that he intended for a skirmish to occur. He probably just wanted to lightly let voters who come into his office know his religious beliefs. I doubt he counted on such brouhaha, but I’m sure it will work to his advantage. Ain’t politics grand?

People want to pretend that they are hurt if they cannot put their religion on the courthouse or in school buildings. They aren't. No one stops them from worshiping their God in their way. It just prevents them from trying to force it onto everyone else.

And believe me, had that been a pro-Islam poster, the fundamentalists would be beating their Bible's and crying all kinds of foul. That would be the right decision. We don't need people asserting their religious views using the courthouse.

I am able to live my Christian ways even though that poster is taken down. I will still love God and be free to worship. That's the real issue.

US Perception of Disability Not Good

Yahoo! News reported last week on a survey that demonstrated a majority of American’s real perceptions about living with disabilities: They would rather die.

A brief of the findings:

Ages 35-44: 63% prefer death
Ages 55-64: 50% prefer death
Ages 65 and older: 56% prefer death

Earnings of $25K or less: 45% prefer death
Earnings of $75K plus: 59% prefer death

Southerners: 45% prefer death
Westerns: 61% prefer death

No High School graduation: 30% prefer death
College grads: 57% prefer death

Of course, this is all predicated on one’s definition of “severe disability” and “independence”. My friend Tim was injured in a car accident. Now he is paralyzed from the shoulders down. He requires assistance, but is his life not worth living? My nephew has Down Syndrome; is his life not worth living? My wife was burned significantly as a child and she is restricted because of it. Is her life not worth living? What about Terri Schivo? Was her life worth living? Where do we draw the line? How much disability is too much disability?

This all leads to a more important question. How does one’s perception of disability affect our treatment of persons who have a disability?

That Was Not Very Nice

Pastors are people too, human and flawed. But I take issue with Wilson Phillips’ recent Voice of the Day. My issue is on two fronts: his message and his presentation.

Religion studies professor, Dr. Charles W. Hedrick, apparently wrote a piece for the N-L urging Christians not to blame natural disasters on God. I didn’t read the article and there’s no link, but from what was quoted, Hedrick seems to have taken the position that “life happens” and that we should not blame God for everything, i.e.:

• God did not punish New Orleans with hurricane Katrina.
• God does not punish sinful parents by giving them a child with a disability.
• God did not give us AIDS because homosexuals exist.

In response to Hedrick’s article, Phillips responds thus:

“It's apparent that Professor Hedrick's heart and mind have not yet been opened by our sovereign God to understand the apostles' revealed knowledge of God that we have in Scripture.”

That, my friends, is a big fat slap by Pastor Hedrick, who insults Professor Hedrick for simply having a different religious (both Christian) view. In other words, Hedrick has not had God really touch or speak to him, in Phillip's opinion. Poor sinner does not really know God, the real God of the Bible. Is that the kind of language we should use to reach the “sinners”? What put Phillips in a position to be able to know how God speaks to others? Why is it that pastors feel they know the will and mind of God?

Was that insult really necessary? Could not Phillips have simply presented his position without the big bitch slap? That was not very pastoral if you ask me. I wish he had not done that. You know, different people can read the same Bible and come to different conclusions. It is okay to see the Bible differently. It’s okay to have different views. But to publish a slam in the newspaper … gosh, I wish he had made another choice that would represent Christianity better.

Personally, I do not believe that God causes every terrible thing on Earth, but I know that lots of people do. When I worked in the field of disabilities, I had numerous Mom’s come into my office crying. I was able to identify a theme: Some churches or congregations believed that the child with a disability was born because of some sin in the parents’ life. This theology has a negative impact on the congregation and does injury to persons who wish to come to Christ.

I’m not out to change Pastor Phillip’s mind, of course. He is welcome to his view and I want him to believe what he feels is right. Would if I could, change his approach. This blog has taken shots and given shots. We frequently exchange jabs with our buddies, so what is the diff? I do not represent a business, an agency or a congregation. If I am speaking as a professional for a group that pays me, I do not post insults in the local paper. Besides, this is a personal rant blog and not a newspaper. Phillips represents a church congregation, the name of which was printed. He was acting as the senior pastor of this church when he insulted Hedrick. I disagree with that. I would be upset if my pastor insulted another in the local paper. My pastor would never do that to begin with. He’s not turned that way.

As a side note, does it not seem that opinions page of the News-Leader is turning into a Sunday School class?

And He Calls Himself a Reverend

Never cared much for Jesse Jackson. (I refuse to call Jackson a reverend, mostly because I do not believe his actions represent what a Christian minister ought to stand for.) I've always thought of Jackson as something of a promoter of racism.

He's finally stepped in it. Word on the street is the Bill O'Reilly is going to run the segment in full. I hear that Jackson said something about cutting off a piece of Barack Obama's down there anatomy.

I wonder if Al Sharpton will come out against Jackson like he did Don Imus? I care about what Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton say about as much as I care about the thoughts of Rush or Ann Coulter.

Notice that Jackson keeps blaming the hot mic for his misstep. Like he would let that fly with anyone else.

The Cost of Gasoline

We could drill for oil off the coast of California and in Alaska. Forget the fact that it would take 10+ years for the drilling to yield results. Or we could simply invest in other technologies that reduce our dependence on oil to begin with.

Enter Honda's hydrogen-powered sedan: The Honda FCX. It does not use gasoline at all! It is a "fuel cell vehicle that runs on electricity powered by hyrdrogen," according to the website. The FCX is a four passenger sedan with a top speed of 100 miles per hour. No plug in at night, either. The car travels approximately 270 miles before needing a fill-up at a designated hydrogen refilling fuel station. They are working on a home energy station so you can fill up in your own garage.

Bitchin!

It's only available in Southern California right now. Let's hope this does not go the way of the electric car.

This weekend, while at the farm celebrating the 4th, we noticed one of the party goers had a Toyota Prius. The hybrid vehicles are very interesting to us, but with a starting price of $21,500, does the savings in gasoline (45-48 miles per gallon) outweigh the cost of the vehicle? I don't know, but it is worth checking into.

17-Year-Old Boy with Disabilities Missing

A boy with disabilities, who looks much younger than his real age, is missing, according to the News-Leader. Caleb needs medications and he is also very trusting of strangers. Too much trust can be common among persons with disabilities. A picture of Caleb can be found on the News-Leader website.

Name: Caleb J. Barnes
Nickname: CJ
Age: 17
Height: 5-feet 6-inches
Weight: 95-100 pounds
Hair Color: Blonde

If you have information, call 9-1-1.

A little known program exists designed specifically for persons who are in danger of wandering off. Project Lifesaver is a national program that works with law enforcement. Participating counties will place a tracking band on the wrist or ankle of the individual. When a loved one escapes, a call is placed to the sheriff's department. Officers are dispatched (by car and/or plan). They use technology that looks like the tracking wand from Wild Kingdom. Typically individuals are found in minutes or hours rather than days or weeks – can make the difference between life and death. Greene County does participate in some capacity, but it is Webster County that is the supervising agency for Missouri.

The program is very beneficial for many citizens including: children, adults, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens. Many children with Autism are prone to wandering away (or running away).

If you have questions, I suggest you contact Webster County first or Project Lifesaver. It is not available in all counties, but many times a neighboring county will accept you.

The Goose Made a Rule, but it Only Applies to the Gander

I've been writing about racism and inequality lately, so this News-Leader editorial is apropos. What's wrong with transparency in government? It is routine for all kinds of business and government agencies to report on its hiring practices. Why should these politicians be exempt from reporting?

Little House on the Prairie for Independence Day

A day late and a dollar short, we celebrated Independence Day yesterday (July 5). We went to the Pugh-Towe farm in Granby where we were served a wonderful cowboy dinner. Pork chops, fried taters, corn on the cob, fresh veggies, barbecued beans, biscuits, blueberry cobbler and apple something-or-other, all of which was yum. Our hosts’ parents cooked it all over the campfire in cast iron. That’s the best way if you ask me.



The kids entertained themselves on the wagon. The grownups were sitting round the big tree jib-jabbing away when I see the wagon go by in the background. Those kids pushed that wagon around the house by themselves. They played Little House on the Prairie for hours, ate dinner, then went back to it for another few hours.

Life on the farm is good.

Patriotic Thoughts on Independence Day

Back in the days of black-and-white thinking, characterized by childhood and adolescence, my mind was cluttered with a romanticized concept of war and warriors. One where the good guys were defined – by default – simply for being American and a Christian, ideas which were synonymous in my view.

I played war and collected hundreds of GI Joe action figures. I remember hearing and believing that war was okay because it was good for the economy. I recall my pastor preaching from the pulpit that God nodded approvingly at war and that killing in the name of America was biblically sound. That Bob Dylan song comes to mind.

I’m not sure, despite the call to arms from today’s Christian politicians and television pulpits, that the Iraq War has God’s mark of approval. I do not buy into the “Christ the War Hammer” line of thinking. And is anyone still making the argument that war is good for the economy?

But here we are – July 4, 2008 – and the Iraq War rages on. My good buddy, Gabe, is currently making his third appearance in President Bush’s conflict-for-nothing. It is my impression that my soldier-friend is glad to do so. We have supported him all these long years he’s spent over there, mostly by sending care packages and correspondence. He comes and sees me when he is on leave. We usually go down to Busiek State Park and shoot some rounds at the outdoor firing range, although we haven’t done that in about a year.

I’m thinking of Gabe today. I hope he makes it home safe. I supposed I should be waving my flag and praising my government today, but I am not. I don’t see that as patriotism. When my a person I know sends out racist pictures, I let him know it upsets me, and when my president lies to me and gets me into a war-for-nothing, then I let him know that upsets me too. To me, critical thinking is patriotic. Standing up for what is right is patriotic.

Local Blogosphere Keeps Growing

Stu Solomon, copy editor and columnist for Community Free Press has his own blog now. Politics, government, philosophy, and music appreciation will be served at the hometown potluck at Stu's café. I love a good buffet, so I'll have to stop by for Sunday brunch. If you get a chance, tell him Jack sent you.

HeroClix Batman: Alpha

(I've updated this post as I have received more information.)

I have been looking at HeroClix, the superhero miniature game, for a long time now. My thought is that it would be a great game for kids to play on those rainy days when we have indoor recess. Mathematics, strategy, and fun all rolled into one. Unfortunately, I hear mixed reviews about the game as far as tweens go. That is to say, that the rules are a bit complex, frustrating a good number of kids.

HeroClix Batman: Alpha utilizes simpler rules and easier game play, making it the perfect set for kids ages 8 and older (according to the box) or any newbies to HeroClix. A typical, HeroClix core game takes 1 hour, but the Alpha games take approximately 30 minutes. (Many elementary schools have gone to one 30-minute recess instead of two 15-minutes recesses.) That’s exactly what I was looking for. Please note that race, gender and disability are represented in the game pieces and that makes for a happy teacher.




The nice thing is that a more expensive starter set is not required. Each box contains 1 Batman, three random characters, 2 micro dice, a set of rules, and a map. So entry into the game can be pretty inexpensive.

Now to learn the rules and play the game – dad against daughter.

Hellboy on INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO

Numero uno was good. Will the boy from Hell do it to it a second time? Oh I hope so.

A Review of RAMBO

“Blood and guts” is a good way to describe RAMBO, the fourth installment in Sly’s warrior flick. Little bitty bits of brain and bone, legs and heads, were flying through the air during the Vietnam Vet’s rescue mission to save some missionaries captured during a humanitarian crusade to help the people of Burma.

Jon Rambo tried to turn the missionaries from their campaign, warning them over and over again that they cannot change the world. While a few made it out alive, in the end nothing really did change. Hoards of bad guys, really bad guys, died a miserable death, but there are always others to take their place, right? Rambo’s outlook on life is bleak and pessimistic to say the least. Ultimately, he saves the missionaries (and the mercenaries hired by the church to save them) but the genocide in Burma is left unchanged.

Rambo finds piece, we can only assume, by finally accepting what he is. More accurately, he accepts what he was molded by the army to do (kill), an epiphany he has while hammering away on the anvil creating his war clever.

RAMBO is gritty and not for the faint of heart. It’s great to see an old guy flat out mow those younger guys down. He is one tough, but reluctant, old bird.

Raiders of the Lost Arc Complete

My wife tells me that I need to do a podcast of Sophie and I playing Lego Indiana Jones for the wii. She insists it is hysterical. Apparently (and I don’t buy any of it), we bicker back-and-forth and cheer each other on like an old, married couple.

We were playing Lego Star Wars. A good game, to be sure, but we only rented it and we kept it a week past the due date. Damn that Blockbuster and its late fees. The wife and daughter got this old man Lego Indiana Jones for Father’s Day this year. Tonight, Sophie and I finally finished the first installment, Raiders of the Lost Arc. Dadgum brilliant.

Gamers say this is the best Lego game yet and I tend to agree. It is a lot of fun. I really enjoy the collaborative nature of the game and the problem solving that occurs. In all her wisdom, Skinny Kitty had sense enough to buy the strategy guide at the same time, and God bless her for that. There is nothing more frustrating that to get to a level and not know what to do, even after frequent attempts to smash, click, jump, or dig your way through. Sometimes, you just need a hint.

Maybe we will have it beat by Christmas and then we can get the upcoming Lego Batman, which coincides with the new flick coming this summer. I tell you what. I have never been a gamer, but I love my wii and I love playing it with my daughter.

By the way, Willie whines way too much, just like in the movies. But Marion, oh man she kicks butt.

The Nightly Read-Aloud Continues with ‘Poop’ in the First Chapter

My daughter and I finished our first read-aloud of the summer, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. It was simply fantastic – a beautiful piece of children’s literature. No wonder it won a Newberry Medal.

Despereaux was my pick. This next one is hers. Research tells us that a child’s ability to choose his or her own reading is vital to reading motivation (Cavazos-Kottke, 2005; Edmunds & Bauserman, 2006; Guthrie, Hoa, Wigfield, Tonks & Perencevich, 2006; McPherson 2007; Pachtman & Wilson, 2006; Veto, 2006). It’s hard for adults to let go and allow children to make their own choices. We want so much to control their little minds and decisions. But I want my daughter to read because she loves reading and not because her father or teacher assigns it. As Drego Little said it best: “Nothing is more damaging to the love of reading than the belief that it is something you do for someone else” (Little, 2005, p.3).

This go around she chose the Judy Blume book, Double Fudge. Never read it myself, but I’ve heard good things. I know that kids love Judy Blume, and a love for reading is of utmost importance. So Double Fudge it is. We read the first chapter and already we’ve read the word “poop”. No wonder kids like it. This is going to be fun.


References
Cavazos-Kattke, S. (2005). Tuned out but turned on: Boys' (dis)engaged reading in and out of school [Electronic version]. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49(3), 180-184.

Edmunds, K. M., & Bauserman, K. L. (2006). What teachers can learn about reading motivation through conversations with children [Electronic version]. The Reading Teacher, 59(5), 414-424.

Guthrie, J. T., Hoa, L. W., Wigfield, A., & Tonks, S. M.. Perencevich, K. (2006). From spark to fire: Can situational reading interest lead to long-term reading motivation? [Electronic version] Reading Research and Instruction, 45(2), 91-117.

Little, D. (2005). In a single bound: A short primer on comics for educators. Retrieved January 19, 2008, from http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/little.htm

Pachtman, A. B., & Wilson, K. A. (2006). What do the kids think? [Electronic version] The Reading Teacher, 59(7), 680-684.

McPherson, K. (2007, April). Harry Potter and the goblet of motivation. Teacher Librarian, 4, 71-73. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from WilsonWeb.

Veto, D. (2006, April). Motivating reluctant adolescent readers. School Administrator, 4. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from WilsonWeb.

More Racism from a Republican

Obama and Hillary are on the tube right now, campaigning together (Friday, June 27, 12:31 pm). A former co-worker of mine sent me this jpg of what appears to be them at this very campaign stop. He wasted no time in getting this photo out.

He ain't from Texas and he ain't from Kentucky, but he is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican – a conservatives-do-no-wrong Republican. He's a Missouri boy and one who is always touting the Christian faith in his politics. He's always sending out crap (much of which is proven untrue thanks to snopes.com) about race and religion and how evil and anti-Christian all Democrats are.

This pic from him comes right on the heels of my last post on politics and racism and religion. Pertinent. You bet. Thanks to this former co-worker, my point about politics and Christianity was proven. And yes, dear friends, it is with much regret and chagrin that so many of my fellow Christians swim in the pool of racism and discrimination. I don't smile and take joy in the fact that it is true. It makes my blood boil that ignorance, racism, discrimination and hatred run rampant in my religion.

Thus my comment about Christianity when discussing politics and race.

Comics, Not Candy, for Halloween

Bone

Archie

Cowa!

Donald Duck

Peanuts

I know. It’s only June, but the trick-or-treat season is coming and you want to be prepared. Rather than rotting kids’ teeth and adding to the obesity epidemic, you can choose to stop the madness and increase literacy all at the same time.

You can buy 25 mini comics in a bundle for the low-low price of $3. This year they offer five titles:

• Bone
• Cowa!
• Archie: The Mystery of the Museum Sleep-In
• A Peanuts Halloween
• Donald Duck: Halloween Hucksters

You can purchase these by going to your local comic book store and placing an order, citing the Previews Issue: June 2008, page 21. Easy as pie.

Our family did this last year and it was a hit. The kids were very excited about them and so were the parents. These are kid friendly titles.

These make great gifts for the kids in your elementary classroom, too.

Alive and Well in the Good Old US of A

This tidbit of racism being alive and well comes from Trail Blazer’s Blog, of the Dallas Morning News, where a vender at the Republican state convention in Texas was selling this dandy of a pin.

You might think that racism is relegated to the quiet jokes when the coloreds and the commie liberals aren’t around. Then you’ve never been to a motorcycle rally in Kentucky. They had entire vendors dedicated to racism, nazi, KKK, and other white supremacy rallygoers. I should have taken pictures. I was stunned at the outright hatred, and I do mean hatred.

“The only good nigger is a dead nigger” slogans on shirts. Swastikas, KKK, it was all there. I kid you not.

These vendors did not make up the bulk of the salespersons. Oh no, there were just two of many, but they were there and selling crap like hotcakes. It should be noted that not all bikers, not all the people who attend this biker rally, not all Kentuckians, feel this way. But enough do to make the trip worthwhile for these racist venders. I did find an inordinate number of rebel flags being flown in Kentucky.

And so it is no surprise to this blogger to see this pin at a Republican rally in Texas or any other southern state for that matter. The sentiment is rich and deep-rooted in cultures. We’ve seen it first hand. I do think that we who find such sentiments disgusting should be reminded that not all of the convention attendees would agree with such sentiment. Certainly, not all Republicans (Texans, southerners, or otherwise) would agree. But it is fair to say that there is a strong racist thread running through the Republican party, especially in the South. Could be that the thread is prevalent in both parties in the South.

It says a lot about how deep, how rich, how prevalent that sentiment is when a political party allows such pins to be sold at their state convention. That is unsettling.

CNN and the AP reported the Texas GOP banned the vendor after the event (and presumably once the story hit the news) and donated his $1,500 vendor fee to Midwest flood victims. Good for them, but I suspect it is more spin than anything. I wonder how many buttons he sold? Seems a reported might have thought to ask that question.

I wonder how many of those who bought the pin are also part of the "America is a Christian nation" members? I digress.

Innocent Symbols of Death and Contempt

No doubt you've heard that what we Americans consider symbols of okee dokeeism are not necessarily universally dandy to the rest of the world. Cracked puts it on the table with this article "7 innocent gestures that can get you killed overseas."

I like this guy. He's one funny S.O.B.

What Would George Carlin Say?

The daughter came home from camp today and sang us a couple little ditties while Skinny Kitty and I were washing up the dishes.

There once was a genie
with a 10-foot weenie,
He thought it was a snake
so he hit it with a rake,
and now it's 5-foot-4.


Yankee Doodle went to town
riding on a heater.
He cranked it up to 99
and burnt his little weiner.

Obviously, these came from those dirty little boys at her summer day camp, right? Oh no, dear reader. These came from the cousins, a girl and a boy, who are a tad older. To laugh or to cry? What is a parent to do? I could frown and punish and make a big deal out of it. Instead, I drug her into the office so she could recite them as I blogged.

Good Old Betty Sure Can Make a Meatloaf

The 8-year-old daughter got a kids cookbook for her birthday and we just got around to making her first recipe with it: meatloaf.

I love the meatloaf, so long as it is:

1. Firm
2. Covered in sweet, saucy goodness
3. Absent of that bastard of a herb, sage

Now the wife is not a cook (self-described), but she prides herself on her meatloaf and I have enjoyed her concoction for many years. Served with biscuits and brown gravy is the best way, but she cares for my heart and health too much to give me gravy.



The truth is brutal, but must be told. My wife’s loaf was beat fair and square by the daughter’s simple recipe. Fantastic was her special meat pie, with it’s special ingredient. Sophie's meal was goodness all the way around.



My little maid can make me meatloaf anytime. I look forward to the cold meatloaf sandwiches. Watching her in the kitchen was a delight. Not because of any misogynistic need to have a lady fulfill some antiquated ideology about female “duties”, but because she enjoyed making her Daddy something all her own. She made it too. She cracked the egg, mixed the ingredients with her bare hands (as any good meatloaf is made) and put it in the oven. All by her little lonesome. Mom was there, of course, to facilitate, but not to do. Hands-off was the mother.

The Not-So-Incredible Hulk

The Hulk, I have decided, is not a terribly interesting character. I made this statement to my comic book guy to which he replied that The Hulk does not translate well into other mediums. Philosophically speaking, I can relate to the inner beast that cannot, at times, be controlled. Despite our higher thinking and evolution, we are still beasts, animals with deep-seeded instincts. The Hulk’s nature speaks volumes about human nature and our greater society. To that extent, I find him intriguing. I guess I like the idea of the Hulk but I am not so impressed with the end product.

I have some copies of Marvel Adventures Hulk. Marvel Adventures being the more kid-friendly version of the comics. MA titles come in many forms: Spider-Man, Iron-Man, Fantastic Four, and The Avengers, along with some other double-flips and whatnot. Some of the MA books are better than others. Marvel Adventures Iron Man was pretty good, for instance. The MA titles tend to stip a character down to nuts and bolts for the kids. The language and violence is dialed down and the story lines are told within one comic (usually 32 pages).

That means the focus is more on action than character. This is overly true with Marvel Adventures Hulk. The complexity of the character, the drama and tension, are edited out, leaving us with nothing more than a green guy who smashes stuff to bits. They make use of the many manifestations of The Hulk, ranging from the childlike “Hulk Smash” id, to a brainiac scientist in green skin. I hate that. My comic book guy assures me that Hulk has gone through many changes through the year. Fine, but that does not mean I have to like him as an intelligent being. It destroys the tension of the story.

The post-Ang Lee movie version was fine. Not great, but fine. I liked it. Had a good time. It didn’t suck and was better than the previous green man flick. Not as good as Iron Man by any means. It had to be made, I suppose, so they could go ahead with the Avengers franchise. Avengers, you see, is on its way, if the hints and suggestions in the Iron Man and Hulk movies are to be believed. If you don’t already know, be sure to brush up on your Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Nick Fury history. Think there will be any social commentary with S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division)?

Judge Says Faux News ‘Gullible’ and ‘Unprofessional’

So much for “fair and balanced”.

Apparently, Faux News ran straight with an article that happened to be a spoof. They quoted the obviously ridiculous quotes as the real deal, coming dangerously close to libel. The judged ruled in their favor, but had some harsh things to say. I’ll let you read up on it yourself.

Click here. All the links you need are in the article.

'Ugly' is Still Illegal for Some

The things our society does to preserve “decency” and “morality” are unbelievable, many times bordering on horrible and many times unethical. They certainly are not always Christian or moral. That’s still true today.

Chicago used to have an “Ugly Law”, as did Columbus, Ohio and Omaha, Nebraska. Chicago’s law was as follows:

“No person who is diseased, maimed, mutilated or in any way deformed so as to be an unsightly or disgusting object or improper person to be allowed in or on the public ways or other public places in this city, or shall therein or thereon expose himself to public view, under a penalty of not less than one dollar nor more than fifty dollars for each offense.”

Thanks to a Jack operative, who happens to be an award-winning advocate for persons with disabilities, we were pointed to this blog. I just had to blog about it. Our history is ugly indeed, but not because of diversity, despite the calls to homogeneity of some arch conservatives.

Those “different” people, who God created, walk among us but are rarely treated with kindness, love, forgiveness or tenderness. Typically they are met with contempt and disgust. I can’t tell you how many mothers I talked to back in my disability-advocacy days who were kicked out of their family churches because their child had Autism or some other disability and the child moved around or made noises. These ladies would sit in my office and cry because they were unable to access God because the church refused to accept or understand their child. “If those mothers would just discipline those Autistic children” – a common mantra by the willfully ignorant.

Oh the ugliness continues today with people who have disabilities, disfigurements and the homosexuals. Even some compassionate folks can be kind to the poor disabled and still have open contempt for those who love the same sex.

I don’t feel sorry for society’s “ugly ducklings”. I just feel angry that my fellow Christians, as we make up the majority of the US, find such practices acceptable and Godly. Most of my agnostic and atheist friends do not. I don’t know if that is true for the general non-God population. Just an observation.

Fundamentalist Librarian Freaks Over Harry Potter Party, Sues Poplar Bluff Public Library

From: KFVS 12 News > The New Yorker > Library Journal > Gregory Holman’s blog


Librarian Deborah Smith, from Poplar Bluff, had religious concerns over working a library-sponsored Harry Potter party. According to the KFVS 12 News report, she allegedly refused to work the party and was suspended for 10 days.

She doesn’t work there now and with the help of the ACLU, has sued the library. According to the religious wrong, the ACLU is an anti-Christian, communist organization, hell bent on destroying all things Jesus. That’s their story anyway. No mention of the ACLU standing up for Christians on the local fundamentalist blogs thus far. Be that as it may …

Poplar Bluff is not known, to my knowledge, as a liberal hideout of pinko commies and hippie dope smokers. The bootheel is pretty conservative.

I want to know if this library staffer checks out Harry Potter books to patrons or stocks the HP books on the shelves? Are they so evil that the bound copies cannot be touched? Or does God simply draw the line elsewhere, forbidding her to be staff at a work-related party where people might read and enjoy the evil witchery? I don’t really understand the whole hate-Harry movement, as The Wizard of Oz, Narnia, and Lord of the Rings have all kinds of magic and whatnot. Why is it okay to work in a library that houses “witchcraft” and yet it is not okay to work a book-specific party? It doesn’t seem consistent.

Me thinks there is much more than meets the eye. I disagree with her choice, but is it so difficult to find another staffer? Can’t a good manager just respect her irrational belief and just find someone else? And a 10-day suspension? That seems harsh. I just get the feeling that there is a history here, perhaps a long history of insubordination? No surprise that the library is all hush-hush over the ordeal.

The 13th Wedding Anniversary

Today is our thirteenth wedding anniversary. Skinny Kitty got me a pair of Batman cufflinks to mark the occasion. How cool is she? She is so supportive of my geekness, even attending a comic book convention in Chicago with me. Most of my dress shirts are French cuffs. I love them. There is something classy and distinctive about French cuffs. This anniversary was supposed to be one of those “we are not going to buy each other anything” as the graduate school thing is wreaking havoc on our finances. The price of food and fuel is not helping. The retort, of course, was that she bought these back in March before we made the rule. Convenient isn’t it. I don’t think that far ahead, most of the time.

You know what that means, don’t you? A trip to the store to pick out the purtiest little thing I can find on a shoestring budget. She deserves more, of course. She should get diamonds or pearls or some such glittery goodness. I keep telling her that after I get that high paying teaching job things will be different. Good old gal, that Skinny Kitty, she always laughs at that joke.

She mentioned this morning that she can’t remember living without me. Although I’m sure she’s tried to block it out on more than one occasion. I can’t hardly remember my life before her either. I’m not sure I want to. I’ve fallen into the honey pot, and that’s just fine with me.

Living Day-to-Day

Politics, religion, local government goings-on – it’s all of little interest to me this day/week/month. Summer school is all about graduate work, 600-level classes that meet for 8 or even 5 weeks as opposed to the typical 16-week regiment. I’m busting my hump trying to keep up with it all. Research, reading, tests – it’s all a bit much. Couple that with the recent and painful death of my loveable grandmother, and the world just seems too cruel.

Boy, that was a bummer of a paragraph, wasn’t it?

When I reflect, however, I find that I am enjoying the experience – parts of the school work, I mean. I find that I enjoy reading and thinking about educational philosophy. Why we do what we do, teach the way we teach, how we approach children and engage them in the process of learning is fascinating to me. Is that weird? I think that it is. I’ve lived all of my life on this side of the weirdo spectrum to some degree, so I’m pretty comfortable with that. I don’t go all goo-goo-eyed over the Mayor of Weirdtown like some geeky blogboys (with whom I am friends), but I am firmly on the side of unconformity. At least I am not one of those crazy … Libertarians [shudder].

Today I am on EbscoHost and WilsonWeb, searching professional journals and dissertations for a literature review which will eventually lead to a research study and thesis. The dog is curled up comfortably on a pillow, which is lying on the futon next to my workstation. Those big old ears of his sticking straight up, and his eyes slammed shut.

Later this afternoon I will sit and read through the nearly 30-plus pieces of literature I have printed here at home. That is fun in short bursts, but becomes tedious over the course of an entire day. Thank goodness I enjoy the subject. Such is the life of the poor graduate student. I quit searching about 30 minutes ago and the printer is still printing. Not a slow printer, but a huge queue. Crazy days.

Desperate to Read

Tonight is the last night of our vacation. Tomorrow I start back to college, the wife to work, and the daughter to summer camp. So begins our summer reading extravaganza. My Grandma Pearl, a teacher for over 30 years, always says that a person can do anything if they can read. She’s right on that one. Reading is the lynchpin, the foundation, to success in life.

I went through our library and pulled out a basket full of books both above and below her reading level. I happen to know her reading level as it was sent home in a packet of information on the last day of school, although I don’t put too much emphasis into lexile ratings. I am more concerned with reading as a big picture first; kids should enjoy reading and should find books that interest them and energize them. They should not be concerned with the level of their book. Reading is something we do for ourselves, not something we do for others. I’m rambling – giving you too much of my personal educational philosophy.

The summer reading library.

I piled a bunch of books (picture books, novels, novellas, comics and graphic novels) into two boxes and put them in the living room. Clutter be damned; this is reading! We have carved out times everyday for reading and writing, something that we are all supposed to be doing.

Tonight, I pulled one of the books from the summer reading library for me to read to her. Reading on their own is important, my friends, but children (even fifth and sixth graders) need to be read to. We chose The Tale of Despereaux. An excellent piece of children’s literature and one that I think she will enjoy. Despereaux is “the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread.” It has castles and dungeons and death and all kinds of marvelous things.

I read the first three chapters to her tonight and we have learned much about Despereaux the mouse and about life. From chapter three comes this prophetic little tidbit:

“Reader, you must know that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone, mouse or man, who does not conform” (DiCamillo, p. 25).

How can you not be hooked by that sentence?

The Tale of Despereaux
By Kate DiCamillo
2004 Newbery Medal Winner
Ages 7-12
Candlewick Press

My Granny Jewel

Granny Jewel holding my daughter, Sophie, on Granny's front porch.

My grandmother Jewel (Granny or Juju) has nearly come to the end of her life’s journey, and I am fearful that this is her last week. I do not care to remember her as she is now – sick and in bed, working to breathe – so before the end of her days, I am posting pictures of the beautiful woman I call “granny” here and on my personal site. You are welcome to click here and see more. These are a few of my favorites.

Granny and I pretend-smoking those candy cigarettes at Christmas.

Granny has a great sense of humor, a bit of an irreverent one, which is what makes her cool. She loves nothing more than sitting in public and pretending to smoke. She puffs away at her invisible fags, drawing deep and blowing smoke rings and whatnot. We were riding in the van once on our way to Oklahoma to see my sister and her family. Juju lights a nonexistent cig and smokes it, waving at the passers-by. No reason, just to pass the time. I’m sure the people in the other vehicles thought she was some crazy old coot.

One of her favorite pastimes is to sit on the porch and people-watch. She is a crack up to sit with because she will flat make fun of folks, making up stories and things about them. If she knows the dirt, why you bet she will tell you all about them and who they are sleeping with and what they are doing wrong. Oh, she’s a hoot. She’s a lot of fun to hang with.

She has the funniest sayings that she pulls out of nowhere: diabetes of the blow-hole, and hobble-gobbles and disconnected piece of sewer pipe. So funny and so unexpected, her timing is impeccable.

As a kid, one of the things I loved most about granny was her food. Juju can cook up a storm and try as they might, other people just cannot cook it the same. I don’t know what she did, but Granny makes the best oatties in the world. For the uninitiated, oatties is oatmeal with butter and sugar. She made it for me a lot as a kid and I loved it. I begged for Mom to make it the same way at home, and as good a cook as my Mom it wasn’t the same. Granny also cooks an old southern dish for me every Christmas: fresh side pork. It’s bacon that is not cured. She slices it thick, rolls it in spiced flour and fries it. You just cannot imagine how good it is. Oh, it’s heart block for sure, but tasty all the way.

Granny could sing. Well, I should say she would sing. Once in a while, as kids, we could get her to sing this old song and we would just howl. We got it on video once, with her playing her rolling pin as a guitar.

Don’t Momma and I’ll Be Good

My playmates they don’t like me
Cause I’m not kind and sweet
I make ugly faces
At the boys across the street
My Momma says that naughty
And I don’t know why she should
She makes me go to bed so I’ll be good.

Don’t momma and I’ll be good
Don’t momma and I’ll be good
I won’t tease the puppy
And I’ll not wool the cat
Don’t make me go to bed
And I’ll be good.

There’s more to the song, but that’s what we have documented. There’s also a line “I’ll not pull grandma’s whiskers or rub mustard in his hair. Don’t make me go to bed and I’ll be good”. The first time I heard it I was a wee pup and she was sitting in the chair on the farm knitting or crocheting or something and she just sang it to me. I loved it. I was amazed to me that an old grandma could be so funny. She also sang some song about two old ladies laying in the sand, each one a wishin’ that the other was a man. That’s a real song; I’ve heard it before. I don’t know about the other one.

Granny Jewel with husband, Lee Sanders

Granny is a pretty funny lady, a far cry from the person in the bed right now. She is known to make faces, wiggle her tail or flash a tea towel your way if you give her any sass. And she doesn’t take any sass, I tell you what. I love that about her.

(UPDATE: Grandma Jewel passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday morning, June 9.)

Another Steven King Novel Goes Comic

Example of some art of Randall Flagg

According to Scoop, Steven King's novel, THE STAND, is getting comic treatment from Marvel.

"The Stand takes place in a post-apocalyptic world following an unlikely group of heroes after a super-flu has killed 99% of the people. The remainders begin rebuilding and adjusting to their new lives in The Free Zone when another threat presents itself. Led by the vicious and charismatic Randall Flagg, a second group of survivors threatens to fill the new Earth with evil instead of hope."

Marvel has adapted another King work, a series, recently. THE DARK TOWER is an exceptional comic adaptation of the work, focusing on the events of Roland's entrance into manhood as a gunslinger, earlier than anticipated. I've blogged on THE DARK TOWER here and here.

Much to the chagrin of the wife, this will likely be an addition to my collection. Might also make a good Christmas gift for that special geeky someone. If you wait, they will collect this in both softcover and hardcover editions.

Love Splash

The Cuz and crew made a film short for SOTA 48, a 48-hour film competition. They camped out at the House of Jack for two days, staying in a van parked on the street. Sleeping inside is no fun for a group of teens, now is it?

Most of the cast and crew are 17ish, but I think the lead actor was a bit older. Early 20's maybe? I don't remember. Big fans of Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and the Evil Dead flicks. You can see the Rodriguez/Tarantino influence in the film. I know the boys so I was waiting for the movie to take a crazy turn. "From Dusk till Dawn" comes to mind.

They weren't able to finish the movie by the deadline, which kicked them out of the competition, but they were able to get a showing. Very cool. The movie had to be under 5 minutes (or something like that) and had to include Liberty Bank in the storyline. No part of the movie (script, shooting, nothing) could be done before the 48 hours clock began. Very hard to script, shoot and edit a movie in two days.

Hopefully, someday, I will be able to say: "I knew him when" after the cuz becomes a famous movie director.

Gaming and Green Blogs

It seems everyone’s cutting back on the blogging these days The 2 Dollar Bill, Snarling Marmot, Minutia, Dad’s on a Rant, Thinking Things, Corner of the Sky, Chatter, and even Life of Jason. What's going on? I must admit that school has affected FJ’s ability to put fingers to keys lately. Plenty of writing going on in the House of Jack, but not so much in the way of Erratic Rants. So many bloggers writing less is unsettling.

I am on vacation at home, which normally would lead to more blogging, but my wife and daughter are here too, so the girly and I have been gaming, mostly with Lego Star Wars for the Wii. We finally beat the section of Naboo that was befuddling us. Now it’s on to the pod races which we seem to repeat over and over with no clue as to what we are doing wrong.

Lego Indiana Jones comes out tomorrow. These Lego games tale, I tell you what. Great for kid and adult alike. My daughter and I game for 1-2 hours at a time, blinking our eyes at the clock in amazement. (Kids and Wives, if you are looking for a good gift for Dad, the new Lego Indiana Jones would be perfect if you have a gamer for a Dad or husband.)

I noticed that we have a new blogger for the local blog roll. Green Living in Greene County is a straight-up site for environmentalism in our lovely domicile. Good for us. This blogger needs all the help he can get.