Saturday, March 2, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Why does this man keep getting press?
Hello Everyone;
What a week! My feet hurt, my knees hurt, my back hurts, my head hurts.... I'm so glad it's Friday!
I've shared with you all that I am Christian. As time goes, I can honestly say now that I am not religious, but that I do believe in God - one way or another. I don't know what is and what is not. No one does. And, some would say that is the whole definition of "faith".
Some short time back, Scottie wrote about a researcher who studied cannibals, commenting that while his compatriots in Europe find the practice so horrible as to demand the death of such people, that otherwise these same "horrible" cannibals have some customs and traits that have a much higher moral value than so-called civilized Europeans of the time. Further, what one grows up under, what one is taught to be right, is then right.
This argument, coming as quite valid, begs the question: why is one religion right and another just as authentic - or not - religion wrong? I guess, if one is true to his beliefs, it is only by being willing to understand them, argue them, seek to find the truth and the unknowns... It is my contention that real Faith only comes once one has sought out truth, and not just in one's own backyard but really sought, then comes to find a comfortable place in the midst of his unknowns. True faith is about humility, because being comfortable in ones unknowns requires that he acknowledge them to be unknown. True faith is about care, because if we care about ourself, we want to be cared about. It is presumptuous to believe myself the only person worthy of being cared about! For a Christian, faith is about joy. Joy because there is a promise waiting of a much greater place.
Now, if one wishes to recall, the God of Christianity is Father/Son/Holy Spirit. Since only one of these three has, if you will, walked among us, it would seem that we could assume to be God like we would want to emulate Jesus. Christ. ie: Christian is defined as "Christ-like". Why is that such a difficult concept?
Now, I hear only excerpts from this man's rant. How I could go about hearing the entire rant, I don't know. Frankly, I don't want to. I have better things to do with my time.... root canal, colonoscopy without drugs, ..... something! But, since we've seen a great number of his little tirades, I think it fair to presume his orations typical. And, if typically so, I see them not as one exhibiting humility, care, and certainly not joy. So, if he is so lacking in faith as to only find sustenance in knocking someone down....in what is his faith?
Now, as you can imagine, going through high school as a 6'5" large boned person, the football coaches drooled over me playing football. And, I did - for a bit. I really wasn't all that good. There is an aggressive mentality necessary for football - and frankly I just wasn't quite there. After some time, I moved on to other things. Still and all, I never recall the necessity of demonstrating ones sexual orientation in the lockerroom. Oh, guys were on each other about all sorts of things outside the lockerroom, but we were kids, teenagers, and no matter what anyone said it was likely bull. So, needing glasses, and not wearing them on the field or in the showers, it is quite possible that they had girls in the lockerrooms to verify one's sexuality but I sure didn't notice anything like that. (I won't tell you what I did notice).
Mostly, in the lockerroom, we showered and went home. I played on the line... heavens knows I had no business with a football in my hands! ... and I would end practices and games beat up. I was beat up by the opposition, by the calisthenics and drills, and occasionally by the team captains and coaches when I screwed up, again. You'd think that they'd have gotten used to it... No one ever asked me.... hey Randy, nice block. Are you gay? My coach did yell at me for dancing with a tackle rather than knocking the guy to the ground. Next play I threw the guy at the coach. Coach thought it funny, I quit shortly after. My point, and the point is real: football has very little to do with sex, and in those odd instances when football and sex co-mingle, the sex is rarely heterosexual when in the lockerroom or on the field.
I really believe Mr. Fischer only ever played "Touch Football". I seriously doubt he is qualified to comment on football. And yet, he does, discrediting any who would be homosexual from being able to play the game... because he's an expert? I can't help but believe that someone who is Jewish would have more problems with a Christian, and vice/verse, in football. After all, there have been years upon years of tension there. Or, a black man and a white man. There have been years upon years of tension there, too. Or, Republican and Democrat. At least a hundred years of backstabbing going on there. Or.... well, you get my point.
Mr. Fischer is too arrogant and closed minded to understand that the concept of "team" is not a group of clones, not a pack of copycats having no individuality or difference, but a group of people whose very strength comes from their individuality, differences of strengths, all pulling for the same goal. The quarterback is not a blocker. The center doesn't go out for a pass. Not that they can't do other jobs.... but that's not their strength. And, in the end, a team focuses on winning - not on who is in whose bed after the game. That's what the showers are for.
What a week! My feet hurt, my knees hurt, my back hurts, my head hurts.... I'm so glad it's Friday!
I've shared with you all that I am Christian. As time goes, I can honestly say now that I am not religious, but that I do believe in God - one way or another. I don't know what is and what is not. No one does. And, some would say that is the whole definition of "faith".
Some short time back, Scottie wrote about a researcher who studied cannibals, commenting that while his compatriots in Europe find the practice so horrible as to demand the death of such people, that otherwise these same "horrible" cannibals have some customs and traits that have a much higher moral value than so-called civilized Europeans of the time. Further, what one grows up under, what one is taught to be right, is then right.
This argument, coming as quite valid, begs the question: why is one religion right and another just as authentic - or not - religion wrong? I guess, if one is true to his beliefs, it is only by being willing to understand them, argue them, seek to find the truth and the unknowns... It is my contention that real Faith only comes once one has sought out truth, and not just in one's own backyard but really sought, then comes to find a comfortable place in the midst of his unknowns. True faith is about humility, because being comfortable in ones unknowns requires that he acknowledge them to be unknown. True faith is about care, because if we care about ourself, we want to be cared about. It is presumptuous to believe myself the only person worthy of being cared about! For a Christian, faith is about joy. Joy because there is a promise waiting of a much greater place.
Now, if one wishes to recall, the God of Christianity is Father/Son/Holy Spirit. Since only one of these three has, if you will, walked among us, it would seem that we could assume to be God like we would want to emulate Jesus. Christ. ie: Christian is defined as "Christ-like". Why is that such a difficult concept?
Now, I hear only excerpts from this man's rant. How I could go about hearing the entire rant, I don't know. Frankly, I don't want to. I have better things to do with my time.... root canal, colonoscopy without drugs, ..... something! But, since we've seen a great number of his little tirades, I think it fair to presume his orations typical. And, if typically so, I see them not as one exhibiting humility, care, and certainly not joy. So, if he is so lacking in faith as to only find sustenance in knocking someone down....in what is his faith?
Now, as you can imagine, going through high school as a 6'5" large boned person, the football coaches drooled over me playing football. And, I did - for a bit. I really wasn't all that good. There is an aggressive mentality necessary for football - and frankly I just wasn't quite there. After some time, I moved on to other things. Still and all, I never recall the necessity of demonstrating ones sexual orientation in the lockerroom. Oh, guys were on each other about all sorts of things outside the lockerroom, but we were kids, teenagers, and no matter what anyone said it was likely bull. So, needing glasses, and not wearing them on the field or in the showers, it is quite possible that they had girls in the lockerrooms to verify one's sexuality but I sure didn't notice anything like that. (I won't tell you what I did notice).
Mostly, in the lockerroom, we showered and went home. I played on the line... heavens knows I had no business with a football in my hands! ... and I would end practices and games beat up. I was beat up by the opposition, by the calisthenics and drills, and occasionally by the team captains and coaches when I screwed up, again. You'd think that they'd have gotten used to it... No one ever asked me.... hey Randy, nice block. Are you gay? My coach did yell at me for dancing with a tackle rather than knocking the guy to the ground. Next play I threw the guy at the coach. Coach thought it funny, I quit shortly after. My point, and the point is real: football has very little to do with sex, and in those odd instances when football and sex co-mingle, the sex is rarely heterosexual when in the lockerroom or on the field.
I really believe Mr. Fischer only ever played "Touch Football". I seriously doubt he is qualified to comment on football. And yet, he does, discrediting any who would be homosexual from being able to play the game... because he's an expert? I can't help but believe that someone who is Jewish would have more problems with a Christian, and vice/verse, in football. After all, there have been years upon years of tension there. Or, a black man and a white man. There have been years upon years of tension there, too. Or, Republican and Democrat. At least a hundred years of backstabbing going on there. Or.... well, you get my point.
Mr. Fischer is too arrogant and closed minded to understand that the concept of "team" is not a group of clones, not a pack of copycats having no individuality or difference, but a group of people whose very strength comes from their individuality, differences of strengths, all pulling for the same goal. The quarterback is not a blocker. The center doesn't go out for a pass. Not that they can't do other jobs.... but that's not their strength. And, in the end, a team focuses on winning - not on who is in whose bed after the game. That's what the showers are for.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
I saw this today. Got me thinking....So, let me get this right....
You go to a very dangerous sport. Hoping for and Cheering crashes. Even get track side seats. Right near the "Crash Fence". Crash happens. Slight injury, in relevance to what could have happened were the fence not there, suddenly must get a lawyer and sue someone.
Lawyer for injured Daytona Speedway fans sees settlement
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Some of the NASCAR fans hurt by flying debris from a 10-car crash at the Daytona International Speedway have retained a lawyer, who said on Wednesday he expects their claims to be settled out of court.
Based on NASCAR history, Matt Morgan of the Orlando personal injury firm Morgan & Morgan, said "a lot of times they resolve these claims without having to go through litigation. So hopefully we can come to an amicable resolution on the value of these claims and move on."
Morgan represents three of the several dozen people injured on Saturday after a wreck on the last lap of the Nationwide Series race sent a tire and debris over and through a safety fence intended to protect fans in the stands.
More than 30 spectators were injured, including at least 19 who required hospital treatment.
NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said that, while the racing group does not discuss pending or potential litigation, "we'll likely provide an update on our next steps at our next race, which is this weekend in Phoenix."
The Nationwide race took place the day before Sunday's prestigious Daytona 500. Rookie driver Kyle Larson's car went airborne and sailed into the fence in the frightening crash, although he was able to climb out of the wreckage afterward.Crews worked through the night to repair the fence so the Daytona 500 race could go on as planned. The speedway is owned by International Speedway Corporation
Morgan said one of his clients suffered a fractured leg and another an abdominal injury.
He said he was unsure at this time what entity he would sue. A waiver on the back of the race tickets says that fans assume all risks, a disclaimer Morgan said was typical for sporting events and active locales such as ski resorts.
"Arguments can go both ways," as to whether the waiver absolves the company of all liability, Morgan said.
He said he had not yet determined whether courts had ruled on that issue.
"I don't believe, in my limited research, that NASCAR has many - if any - pending lawsuits against them right now," Morgan said.
He said he will focus attention on engineering studies on the safety fence at the Talladega Superspeedway after flying debris injured fans after a similar crash in 2009.
(This story has been corrected to remove reference to Michael Annett, who was injured in an unrelated crash)
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Animal Control Angels?
Today, we came together to give those poor critters in Animal Control their shot in the sun and their moment to shine.
One of the people who came in to the store, on their normal shopping runs and saw the dogs by chance, told me they were surprised by the dogs. "I expected a batch of train wrecks", he said to me.
I couldn't help but to ask him why he thought that.
"Well, they were strays, thrown away....". He seemed to run out of steam, sort of realizing what he was saying. But, he did sort of have a point, even if he was crass enough to voice it. These were dogs no one wanted.
We had a group of great dogs! I would have been proud to have any of these animals! The dog I was handling today was a pit bull mix. She wanted so much to play. I think she was a bit ticked at me that I wouldn't put her with the other dogs. She knew how to sit and stay, she walked great on the leash - just needed a few reminders about not pulling.
At the end of the day, five of the dogs had to go back to the Animal Control. The dogs had a great time, saw lots of new people, got treats and scratches. I was sad to see them have to go back, but I was glad that two found homes.
I told that man, who was so surprised that these are just dogs: "All a dog wants is to be loved and to love".
Interesting thing: I realized that the way people view dogs is a lot like the way they view people, too.
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