Okay this is amazingly cool...

Obama to take oath on Abraham Lincoln's Bible.


WASHINGTON (AFP) – Barack Obama will take the oath as US president on the same Bible used to swear in president Abraham Lincoln, the committee planning his inauguration said in a statement Tuesday.

The presidential inaugural committee said the Lincoln Bible would be borrowed from the collections at the Library of Congress.

"President-elect Obama is deeply honored that the Library of Congress has made the Lincoln Bible available for use during his swearing-in," said Presidential Inaugural Committee Executive Director Emmett Beliveau in a statement.

With Obama's swearing-in on January 20, the historic Bible with its gilded edges and burgundy velvet binding will see its first use during a presidential inauguration since 1861 when Lincoln, the 16th US president, was sworn in.

"The president-elect is committed to holding an inauguration that celebrates America's unity, and the use of this historic Bible will provide a powerful connection to our common past and common heritage," Beliveau said.

Lincoln, from the state of Illinois which Obama represented in the US Congress, presided over the country's biggest domestic crisis, the American Civil War, and ended slavery, but he was killed by an assassin's bullet in 1865.

There is no constitutional requirement that a Bible be used during inaugurations, but US presidents traditionally have used Bibles for their swearing-in ceremonies.

(http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081223/pl_afp/uspoliticsobamainaugurationlincoln_081223125345)

Merry Christmas everyone. I love you!

Believe...Simply believe.

I love Christmas. I love the feel, sights, sounds, and smell (assuming you can do it optimistically and not commercially). I LOVE traditions. I have never had a problem teaching my children the miracle of the birth of Christ and the magic of Santa. One of my favorite things I pull out every year to adorn my living room is a ceramic statue that I painted myself of Santa kneeling, hat in hand,head bowed, at the manger cradling the Christ child. I also own my grandmother's nativity scene which was always my favorite thing to set up as a child. Each piece individually wrapped and the excitement when it was the Baby Jesus that fell into my little palm. Now my kids share that exact moment every year.
As with most things, you get to help form your child's beliefs and for a brief time you weave this time of wonder. I have been blessed with children who have never made lists. They say "surprise me." That always surprised Santa as they sat on his lap. No demands, no requests, just "surprise me." For all of the years that I have been an adult and especially a mother those words have been music to my ears. They aren't spoiled children. We spend little and they appreciate more. We take turns on Christmas morning opening gifts so we all get to see the reaction of the receiver and it helps us savor the day. stretch it out longer. I remember one Christmas my oldest daughter was a year old and Santa had given her a doll. She opened it up and she gasped and said "It's a BAYYYBEE." She hugged it so tight. I told her that her baby needed a name and her brow furrowed for a moment and then her face lit up like a candle! "Crunchy, mama, her name is Crunchy!" I assured her it was a perfect name and full of imagination. Later she had friends or family members laugh and made her doubt her choice. I always reminded her that the name made her happy and when she told other people it made THEM happy. Crunchy Is wrapped and put away in my hope chest.
I see my girls get more and more excited for everyone to open the gifts that were given by them. They think more about others. Try to get something to bring them happiness. We traditionally do the 12 days of Christmas on a new family each year. We've done it since my oldest could knock on the door and run with me and my baby on my hip. They LOVE doing it.
As they grow they realize it's a season of giving. God gave us his Son, to teach us to be more like him and He gave his life for us. There is no greater love. But there inevitably comes a time when they begin to notice inconsistencies and I don't lie to them. My oldest grew into (or out of) the truthfulness of Saint Nicholas. It was an easy and perfect transition. My youngest had it torn away and want me to lie to her or fix it, but I wasn't quite sure how to do it. This has always done it for me:


Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

Editorial printed in the New York Sun in 1897.

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:



Dear Editor---

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Oops, this is not really a blog, just a comment.

Obama has infuriated the gay community and many liberals for asking Reverend Rick Warren to give the invocation at his innauguration. They feel it's a mockery to give someone who doesn't agree with his beliefs a 2 and a half minute platform at the most important night in this history making election. Ok first off, do you all comprehend what reaching across the aisle means??? Second, he'll be talking to God, do you all think that God's opinion revolves around Rick Warren and third, I agree. It was a bad choice. He should have chosen a Mormon!!!!

How hilarious would THAT have been???

Always a new cause...

I keep meaning to blog about Christmas because I love it so much. It makes me happy.It's magical. However, I just watched a live press conference identifying the remains found on the 11th of almost 3 year old Caylee Anthony. I occasionally follow these cases closely because some part of it resonates in me. Caylee's body was dumped in a forest soon to be covered in flood water on her birthday. For Christmas her remains will stay in a morgue or with different forensic specialists to shed more light on what really happened (homicide is presumed, which I would think the lies of her family and the trash bag was a no brainer). Thankfully, in my belief system, she has found peace and what better place to spend Christmas than with the man that the season is all about.

My family says I jump from cause to cause and this is either what keeps me sane or drives me INsane. But, in anyway that I can from this day forward, I will support first and foremost TES as it is not as widely known:

http://www.texasequusearch.org/ Tim Miller and his volunteers have a special place in heaven... Tim's daughter Laura was taken from a payphone at a convenience store after telling her mother that she would walk the half mile to work, during broad daylight. After a year and a half Laura's remains were discovered with the remains of other girls and it was apparent that this was the dumping ground for a serial killer. Tim suffered grief, rage, and began drinking to numb the guilt and pain.He lost his daughter, his marriage and his job. He pulled himself together and now travels the country to search for missing people along with his team. They are supported by some corporate donations along with private ones. More about Tim's remarkable story can be found here: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/forensics/texas_equusearch/1.html

I think the most well known story was the lost of Adam Walsh as he wandered away from his mother in a store. Just this week Adam's case was closed after 27 years. The case was badly mishandled early on by the police that lost key evidence (blood on the carpeting from a car was lost), and though John believed all along that Ottis Toole was his daughter's murderer they couldn't be sure. He confessed and renegged at least twice and bragged about hundreds of murders he was guilty of. However on his death bed he confessed to his neice and revealed details that were not released to the public. John Walsh has dedicated his life to bringing to the public's attention to some of the worst criminals in the country and through the creation of the television show America's Most Wanted, the faces and crimes of these sick people are made know to the entire country. Also the Code Adam Program was first intitiated by Walmart but has become more widely used in stores and amusement parks. This is what it entails:
If a visitor reports a child is missing, a detailed description of the child and what he or she is wearing is obtained. Additionally, all exterior access to the building is locked and monitored; anyone approaching a door is turned away.
The employee goes to the nearest in-house telephone and pages Code Adam, describing the child’s physical features and clothing. As designated employees monitor front entrances, other employees begin looking for the child.
If the child is not found within 10 minutes, law enforcement is called.
If the child is found and appears to have been lost and unharmed, the child is reunited with the searching family member.
If the child is found accompanied by someone other than a parent or legal guardian, reasonable efforts to delay their departure will be used without putting the child, staff, or visitors at risk. Law enforcement will be notified and given details about the person accompanying the child.
The Code Adam page will be canceled after the child is found or law enforcement arrives.


http://www.pollyklaas.org/ Marc Klaas started the Polly Klaas foundation after she was taken from her home on 10/1/93 during a sleeping party. The other girls were tied up and their heads covered with pillowcases, but by the time the girl was able to wake Polly's mother it was too late. 12/3/93 her body was discovered. On 6/18/94 the jury convicted Richard Allen Davis of first degree murder and the death penalty. John Klaas was the first to use the internet to get the word out and Polly's picture also a composite of Davis.
Klaas works diligently as an advocate of stronger laws and quicker ways to get the word out.

This entry could go on forever, so I will only mention one other father that made his daughter's death into a crusade to lobby for stiffer penalties (at the time, Florida's laws were appallingly lax. Mark Lunsford worked to have the Jessica Lunsford Act passed in Florida and some other states, but a version of it has also been instituted on a Federal level. For more info on the Lunsford case can be found here: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/jessica_lunsford/7.html

The examples I have stated in this blog have one thing in common but is opposite to Caylee Anthony's story. These parents have dedicated their lives to helping people to never know the agony they have suffered or prevent it all together. It looks pretty obvious to everyone that Caylee's monster WAS her mother.

Yeah, prop 8, STILL...sheesh!

I've always said that you can NOT judge a group of people by a few ignorant losers. I have also said that I have never felt that a gay couple should be denied the CIVIL right to be married and certainly not the legal rights any couple enjoy. I didn't have to vote on Prop 8 yet many people in the gay community are doing exactly what they have fought against for decades. Denying members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints the RIGHT TO CHOOSE. No one told us we had to vote yes on Prop 8. We were reminded in church that the issue was something that would be voted on in California. There was an invitation to help with time and/or money with the campaign for Prop 8.
This is the letter that was read to us in church:
California and Same-Sex MarriageSALT LAKE CITY 30 June 2008 The following letter was sent from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Church leaders in California to be read to all congregations on 29 June 2008:

Preserving Traditional Marriage and Strengthening Families

In March 2000 California voters overwhelmingly approved a state law providing that “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” The California Supreme Court recently reversed this vote of the people. On November 4, 2 008, Californians will vote on a proposed amendment to the California state constitution that will now restore the March 2000 definition of marriage approved by the voters.

The Church’s teachings and position on this moral issue are unequivocal. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, and the formation of families is central to the Creator’s plan for His children. Children are entitled to be born within this bond of marriage.

A broad-based coalition of churches and other organizations placed the proposed amendment on the ballot. The Church will participate with this coalition in seeking its passage. Local Church leaders will provide information about how you may become involved in this important cause.

We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman. Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage.


We are not asked how we vote. We are not asked to confess as if our vote is a sin. We weren't even told HOW to vote. We are free agents and to boycott the entire church or the state of Utah is just juvenile and pointless. Among the newer temper tantrums is that this anti Mormon movement wants to deny the Mormon church rights to Hollywood and Broadway material, even some of the music that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings.
Well if we are going to play this stupid yet dangerous McCarthite Blacklisting game, stop and think of what YOU will lose:
Twilight (books and movies) Stephanie Meyer's is Mormon.
Dancing With the Stars- Julianne and Derek Hough... Mormon.
The Dark Knight or anything with Aaron Eckhart...Mormon
Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre (Although not sure that that is much of a sacrifice)
CNN-Glenn Beck >spit<
American Idol, Survivor, Real World, and countless other reality shows that have had Mormons on them. More notably David Archuleta, Brooke White, Neleh Dennis and Todd Herzog (Winner Survivor China. He's gay AND Mormon!! Bet that one hurts your heads
Sports are going to mostly be off-limits
The Olympics too.
Books by Orson Scott Card
You are going to want to check out any surgical or medical work done because there are Mormon fingerprints ALL OVER stuff like artificial heart transplants, even cosmetic surgery.
Also avoid the following companies:

Affiliated Computer Services
AES Corp.
Avista Corp.
American Express
Black & Decker
Cadence Design
Corvis
Central Pacific Bank
1-800-Contacts
Cygnus Inc.
Diebold
Dell Computer
Dionex
Downey Savings and Loan
EarthShell
Franklin Covey
Hillenbrand Industries
Headwaters, Inc.
Hollywood Entertainment
Host Marriott
Iomega
Jet Blue
JP Realty
Key Corp.
Knight Transportation
K-Swiss, Inc.
La Quinta Properties, Inc.
Marriott International
Micrel Semiconductor
Micro General
Merit Medical Systems
Monaco Coach
Microsemi Corp.
Myriad Genetics
Novell
NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
NuSkin
Oil States International
Oakley
priceline.com Inc.
Phelps Dodge Corp.
Ryder Systems
SkyWest Airlines
Swift Transportation
Cornerstone REIT
Tropical Sportswear
Williams Companies, Inc.
Zions Bancorp

Also remember that President-elect Barack Obama and VP-elect Joe Biden also stated clearly that they oppose gay marriage, so perhaps You'll be needing to boycott the entire country.
OR you can realize that it's a free country and fighting hate and ignorance WITH violence, hate, and ignorance is regression.

I am closing with an article from the Chicago Tribune, by Jonah Goldberg. He says it all, and much better than I:
An ugly attack on Mormons
Aggressors in the culture war
Jonah Goldberg
December 4, 2008
Did you catch the political ad in which two Jews ring the doorbell of a nice working-class family? They barge in and rifle through the wife's purse and then the man's wallet for cash. Cackling, they smash the daughter's piggy bank and pinch every penny. "We need it for the Wall Street bailout!" they exclaim.

No? Maybe you saw the one with the two swarthy Muslims who knock on the door of a nice Jewish family and then blow themselves up?

No? Well, then surely you saw the TV ad in which two smarmy Mormon missionaries knock on the door of an attractive lesbian couple. "Hi, we're from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!" says the blond one with a toothy smile. "We're here to take away your rights." The Mormon zealots yank the couple's wedding rings from their fingers and then tear up their marriage license.

As the thugs leave, one says to the other, "That was too easy." His smirking comrade replies, "Yeah, what should we ban next?" The voice-over implores viewers: "Say no to a church taking over your government."



Obviously, the first two ads are fictional because no one would dare run such anti-Semitic or anti-Muslim attacks.

The third ad, however, was real. It was broadcast throughout California on Election Day as part of the effort to rally opposition to Proposition 8, the initiative that successfully repealed the right to same-sex marriage in the state.

What was the reaction to the ad? Widespread condemnation? Scorn? Rebuke? Tepid criticism?

Nope.

The Los Angeles Times, a principled opponent of Proposition 8, ran an editorial lamenting that the "hard-hitting commercial" was too little, too late.

The upshot seemed to be that if the pro-gay-marriage forces had just flooded the airwaves with more religious slander, things would have turned out better.

At a pro-gay-marriage rally in Los Angeles after the vote, chants of "Mormon scum!" were reported. Envelopes containing white powder have been sent to Mormon temples in California and Utah; vandals hit other temples. Lists of businesses to boycott—essentially Mormon blacklists—have sprung up on the Internet. The artistic director of the California Musical Theatre resigned because of pressure after it was revealed he gave $1,000 to a pro-Proposition 8 group.

It's amazing. Hollywood liberals, who usually shout "McCarthyism!" as a first resort, see nothing wrong with this. If Jews were attacked in this way for giving too much money to a political cause, Barbra Streisand would already have a French passport.

Never mind that Proposition 8 carried nearly every demographic slice of voters. Put aside the fact that the Catholic Church and scores of other Christian churches supported it too. Discount the inconvenient truth that bans on gay marriage have now passed in each of the 30 states in which they've been put before voters. It's all the Mormons' fault.

The argument is that Mormons used illegitimate power, in this case money, beyond their numerical standing in the population to secure victory for the measure. Golly, wealthy gay liberals would never do anything like that! I bet they're not giving a single dime—disproportionate to their numbers in the population—to the effort to overturn Proposition 8 via the courts.

No, it's just that Mormons are the most vulnerable of the culturally conservative religious denominations and therefore the easiest targets for an organized campaign against religious freedom of conscience.

Traditional religion is the enemy anywhere it runs afoul of complete social acceptance of homosexuality. In New Mexico, a wedding photographer was fined nearly $7,000 for refusing to shoot a gay commitment ceremony. The dating site eHarmony, run by evangelicals, was just bullied by gay activists via the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights into starting up a site for gays. The first 10,000 registrants must get six months free.

It's often lost on gay-rights groups that they and their allies are the aggressors in the culture war. Indeed, they admit to being the "forces of change" and the "agents of progress." They proudly want to rewrite tradition and overturn laws. But whenever they're challenged democratically and peaceably, they instantly complain of being victims of entrenched bigots, even as they adopt the very tactics they abhor.

My own view is that gay marriage is likely inevitable and won't be nearly the disaster many of my fellow conservatives fear it will be. But the scorched-earth campaign to victory pushed by gay-marriage advocates may well be disastrous, and "liberals" should be ashamed for countenancing it.

Jonah Goldberg is an editor at National Review Online.

A pity party and you're invited.

So Joe the Plumber is still whoring himself out to prolong his 15 minutes of fame. He recently spoke to >spit< Glenn Beck >spit< about how he felt after spending time on the campaign trail with McCain.
Snipped from Think Progress:

He told conservative radio host Glenn Beck that he felt "dirty" after "being on the campaign trail and seeing some of the things that take place."

"I honestly felt even more dirty after I had been on the campaign trail and seen some things that take place. It was scary, man," Wurzelbacher said. He told Beck he asked McCain "some pretty direct questions" about the bailout, and wasn't pleased with the response. "They appalled me, absolutely. You know, I was angry. In fact, I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him.

Asked why he didn't leave McCain's campaign if he was "appalled" by the candidate, Wurzelbacher said, "Honestly, because the thought of Barack Obama as president scares me even more."
While Wurzelbacher was critical of McCain, he gushed about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. "Sarah Palin is absolutely the real deal," he said.

I'm not sure we can trust his judgement at this point because honestly he got the most honest deal. I mean Tito the builder was just a one night stand. Ships passing in the night,so to speak, and I really get the feeling that Joe Sixpack may not remember it at all. Seriously, taking advange of someone when they are drunk?? That is all KINDS of shady.
We may never know how things would have worked out with Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin, but I am willing to bet money that a plumber doesn't make enough money to pay for that wardrobe.
As for Obama, I don't think Joe would even give him a chance... Freakin' tease!

Ghosts

I mentioned that I would occasionally bring things over from my other blog. This is one of them:

(From CSI)

Warrick: "Kind of weird being in a high school, huh."
Grissom: "They do have a timeless quality."
Warrick: "What were you? A jock or a brain?"
Grissom: "I was a ghost."



(From The Breakfast Club)

Andrew Clark: What do they do to you?

Allison Reynolds: They ignore me.

Andrew Clark: Yeah... yeah.

Have you been a ghost? Have you ever been the person that no one remembers or never really caught your name?? Have you ever noticed what drives people to be seen? God help us all that those people who have been invisible too long don't become the next Columbine shooter or Virginia Tech. And if you ever bring yourself to speak the words "I wish you'd never been born" don't be too certain that you are the only one.

As Christmas approaches, did you sell out?

No man is an island, unless they are me, In Utah.. In my family.. Oh and I'm not a man. I know I am getting repetative, but it's interesting when you have an epiphany about yourself. I always liked to say I was a liberal Mormon, and a conservative Democrat, but it was more of an allowance for my often conflicting views and frankly ineducation. I have always voted, but this year I threw myself into the election, and I'll admit I don't understand every issue. But I remember the night I was shocked to learn that I was liberal. VERY liberal. My mouth actually dropped open and I refused to believe Biden at his word on what Obama's position was. I had to hear it for myself. I realized I am more liberal than one of the most liberal Presidential candidates! WOW!! I'm also Mormon and that is very very important to me as well. I think I do a pretty good job juggling the political issues but my faith comes first. I will never be an uninformed voter again. I am on cloud nine because I did the right thing. I didn't sell out on my beliefs which are extraordinarily firm. This is not to say that I can't listen to opposing opinions and see merit and perhaps adjust, just like my candidate does. I have worked so hard for the first time in an election and I'd do it again and I'd love to do more. I believe so strongly in my choice. I regret not being able to do more.
Our country is in trouble. Our world is in trouble. It will get worse before it gets better but the most intelligent man is at the helm. I believe in him, I have faith that he wants to save our country, that is adgenda is real if not totally realistic. He is an optimist in a pessimistic country. In the meantime, conservatives are STILL acting like indulged children with their stupid propaganda of where he was ACTUALLY born. Republicans... I have bad news. You lost. Not just the election, but anything remotely redeeming in your beliefs. You lost your dignity. You sold our country to thieves and liars that profitted YOU. Stop with the B.S. stories of Obama being born in Canada, Didjabooty, Ethiopia.. Whatever. It's the sore losers last gasp to hide sour grapes. You are LOSERS. You are being unpatriotic. Stop it.

And for those of you that caved to the Bradley effect, you sold out. You completely suck. I thought that kind of dishonesty only existed in party hoppers like Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Merrill Cook. Just stay home on election day. If you can't stand by your beliefs, you are not really of any value to this country.

The 10 Paradoxical Commandments

I didn't make that up. That is really what they are called and I have been taking some hits for the meanness of my opinions.

So I give you The 10 Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent Keith.

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

Who cares?? Friends do.

So I am basically a pariah in my family and with most of my friends. I've moved my blog from my myspace account so that if a family member or friend chooses to read it, it will be at their own risk. I was holding back on myspace. Here? Not so much. I assume I have very few readers and I know that the ones that DO read it are accoustomed to my razor sharp dissertations. Two of my readers are close friends who are very intelligent and disagree with MOST of my political views. I also took the time to right a wrong I believe I am responsible for and made a much needed apology to a fellow blogger with whom I share an interesting back and forth association. I thoroughly enjoy him simply because he's very, very, smart and because he makes me think. I would describe this connection as a love/hate relationship (not to be mistaken for anything freaky) because we alternately clash or agree. I am full well aware that I can learn from him. I have never been very good at accepting criticism, constructive or otherwise but I gravitate towards intelligent people and I'm not too proud to admit I don't understand something and need help or advice. I am going to take a chance and post a comment he made about me and my blog on his blog and hope that he doesn't mind:
Abrasive I am. You, on the other hand, are showing serious potential as a writer. Your prose is tight, lean and without artifice. Your punctuation is sparse, your adjectives are translucent. And really good writers are harder to find than black dahlias. Thank you for that, Bri.
~Matthew S. Mezger (I got permission)
I can't express how much this comment means to me. The only thing that would mean more to me is if it had come from my mom. Unfortunately it didn't and it never will because OUR family get togethers don't include freedom of speech. I accept and understand because I truly don't want to offend or rock the family boat. I just hope that I never make this mistake with my own children and look forward to healthy debates with them and I've promised to teach them bipartisanism when the Republicans have a candidate can compliment with a straight face. For now they are Obamamanics like their mother, they've discovered that it requires courage around here. A LOT of courage.


Tomorrow's blog: Christopher Dodd and Barney Frank... SHUT THE FREAK UP! I am trying to only freak out once a day!

Ummm what can I say?

I feel it's only fair to share my disdain for the politically retarded. Sarah Palin has received too much of my attention lately and I am all about fair. So today's candidate to walk away with a Paradox Patch thorn in their butt is *drum roll please* the man whose nose is permanantly brown thanks to John McCain:

Mitt Romney!!

I found this today and thought it very enlightening. One of the things that bugs me is when people form opinions in ignorance. And I doubt Mitt Romney will read this article, or even think twice of that man in the wheelchair. Mitt seems the type to only understand if you speak s-l-o-w-l-y. I mean c'mon he's been a Mormon his whole life and only found out that morally, we aren't cool with abortion?? He has to be like 3 times my age. I think they just shellaced him when he was like 50, right?? I saw the fetus in the trash can movie when I was 12. Anyway, this is for Mitt:

Huge Stash of Marijuana Found in Ancient Tomb
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Journal of Experimental Botany

Duuuuuude! The world's oldest stash of marijuana has been found in far western China, according to an article in the Journal of Experimental Botany.

An ancient Caucasian people, probably the Indo-European-speaking Yuezhi whose fair-haired mummies keep turning up in Xinjiang province, seem to have buried one of their shamans with a whopping 789 grams of high-potency pot 2,700 years ago.

That's about 28 ounces of killer green bud, worth perhaps $8,000 at today's street prices, and enough to keep Harold and Kumar happy for a couple of days.

"It was common practice in burials to provide materials needed for the afterlife," lead author Ethan B. Russo, a practicing neurologist and prominent medicinal-marijuana advocate based in Missoula, Mont., tells the Canadian Press. "No hemp or seeds were provided for fabric or food. Rather, cannabis as medicine or for visionary purposes was supplied."

But the researchers couldn't tell if the weed was meant to be smoked or eaten. No pipes, bongs or rolling papers were found in the tomb.

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus relates how the Scythians, Iranian-speaking nomads who roamed the steppes to the west of the Yuezhi in the first millennium B.C., liked to throw marijuana onto bonfires to induce trancelike states. It's possible the buried shaman followed similar practices.

The lame Harold and Kumar, stoned surfer dude, stuff is due to Fox trying to actually report something legit, but they have to dumb it down for their audience. Sorry for that.





Can you imagine what the spawn of Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin would be like???

Can I have a Government position? Pleeeeeeease????

I found this on a local messageboard. The author's screen name is Leenaree. While I don't fully agree, I think that her message is pretty spot on: Mormons should collectively remember the angry mobs that hunted them down and killed members, simply for practicing their religion. Gays and Lesbians have had their private acts of love and affection criminalized, and have regularly been assaulted and killed, sometimes based only on the suspicion of being gay. These assaults rarely receive media attention, and are sometimes not even prosecuted. Just as not all non-Mormons in Missouri were angry, destructive mob, not all opponents to Prop 8 are either. Certainly the angry mobs get the headlines, but there are many more quietly working to overturn Prop. 8 through legal means and to quietly and respectfully change hearts and minds. Equality Utah and the Courage Campaign are 2 such organizations. Anyone with $10 can set up a web site domain. It doesn’t mean that he/she represents a credible organization, or that that organization is representative of all supporters of same-sex marriage. Rage is a product of fear. Prop. 8 sought to take away a right from a group of people, and successfully did so. Christians and other proponents of Prop 8 had nothing to fear. Allowing same sex civil marriage never threatened religious marriage. Same sex civil marriage supporters see that something precious, a hard fought civil right has been taken away, when it posed a threat to no one, and they are fearful that more hard-fought civil rights will be taken away, and that they will be forced to lead closeted lives once again. Do they have the right to protest? Absolutely. Is the violence acceptable? In my eyes, no, it’s counterproductive, because of the focus it draws away from substantive arguments. By the same token, the hate-filled individuals and groups who pistol whip gays and leave them to die on snow fences, who vandalize their homes, who force them into secrecy, fearing for their jobs and lives are even more unacceptable, because there is a history of murder.


But in fairness, just as all of the people in Missouri were not Mormon-hating mobsters. Not every Mormon (I wasn't given the opportunity to vote on Prop 8) would have supported it. I can't believe that this is even an issue. I can't find it in my heart to protest love when there is so much abuse, neglect, poverty, and hate. I would rather have my children put in a loving gay home, than in an abusive hate-filled Christian home, should something happen to me. I don't understand what is being accomplished by the hatred, boycotting, and violence. This is America and we have the right to vote as we choose. But don't assume that because I am Mormon I am for Prop 8. Also don't assume because I am Mormon that you can make black jokes or tell my kids that you want to assassinate the man I campaigned for and voted for. I am an American and I have the right to vote for whatever I feel is right or important. You can come and peacefully protest my beliefs or try to educate me in your differing beliefs. You just better be certain you know what my beliefs are first. Having to balance my faith and my politics is sometimes a tricky thing. In the end I have to answer to two people, myself and God. On THESE issues I haven't let myself down and can only hope that God feels that way too.

Thanksgiving...

I am off to spend a few days at my mother's house in a house that will be filled with people and even fuller of drama. Yeah, I know, more full.
Before I go I would like to mention a few things that I am thankful for..
I am thankful for my family. My husband is amazingly patient and helpful, my girls are my best friends and I love them so much. I am thankful for all of my friends and especially the one who gives free massages!!!! I am thankful that we live in a country that has finally starting to walk the walk. I am OBVIOUSLY thankful for Barack Obama and that I was able to work on his campaign. I had to call some seriously freaky people, but I would do it all over again. I am thankful for Sarah Palin. She finally gave me that last good reason to get rid of the pink shirt with the moose on it, she's is freaking hilarious, and I am pretty sure she's making sure she'll never hold a serious place in politics as long as there are turkeys to slaughter and a photo op to be had. (I don't consider anything in Alaska to be serious since Sarah hit the national scene and they almost re-elected a 7x convicted felon to senate. Plus I've seen her supporters in Wasilla... Ummm interbreeding? Mandatory brain damage? The highest rate of alcoholism of any other state? Too much time watching Russia from the porch?)

I almost forgot BOB! I am SOOOOOOO Thankful for Bob. He reminds me everyday why I am a liberal, pinko, blah blah blah. In otherwards he reminds me that politically I am superior. But he can dance and surf. THANKS BOB!!! ;)
Anywho, I am very blessed. I hope you all are too.

Ummm...WHY did I vote for Barack Obama???

"Part of the charge [of the budget team] is to make sure that we are proceeding on projects and investments based on national priorities and not based on politics. Now you mentioned, sort of, my friends. I want to be clear friendship doesn't come into this. That's part of the old way of doing business.
"The new way of doing business is, let's figure out what projects, what investments are going to give the American economy the most bang for the buck. How can we protect taxpayer dollars so this money is not wasted; restore a sense of confidence among taxpayers that when we spend their money, it's on things that are actually gonna improve their quality of life; create the jobs that are so desperately needed; help to spur on economic growth and business creation in the private sector? That's all part of the new way of doing business."
~Barack Obama.

OH SNAP! That's why. I LOVE outspoken and honest.

You might be a candidate for a Deliverance remake if...

You STILL believe all the Obama anti pledge, anti American flag, National Anthem, radical muslim, sworn in on the Koran propaganda. In otherwards... The majority of Utah. Again, if it sounds insane look it up. Oh wait that would require a degree of intelligence. Nevermind.

A whole new level of shady..

The whole Prop 8, hate the Mormons, blame a group that has been hated on just like if not MORE than gay people, has been astounding to me. As I believe is abundently clear I am Mormon and I am liberal. The Prop 8 thing has been a hard thing to work out in my heart and mind because I have troubles condemning or judging anything. Especially love. I do, however, choose to follow my faith when I am torn on a choice and in this case, as cowardly as this is, I am relieved to not have to had to make the vote. One thing I have kept silent on is Perez Hilton and his histrionics in calling out the gay community to be as stupid and hate filled as he is accusing the all powerful Mormon church to be. He even encouraged his readers to boycott Sundance....

Okay, Utahns for the most part hate Sundance. Park City hates Utah. The state is a majority of conservative people. Many Utahns hate the fact that Californians tired of the big city and unruly teens think they can move in and we will magically rehabilitate these kids who have been indulged and allowed to disrespect everyone but themselves. Gang related crime is growing like crazy and we simple haven't had to deal with at all in the past. They soon learn that they hate the grandfather law, the smell of a cattle ranch, and being woken at sunrise by their neighbor's rooster. So they go about trying to change the laws to make us more like..... California. They have succeeded in Park City and with the Sundance Film Festival. They've wondered if the can annex this little beautiful area in Utah and make it as twisted as Hollywood with all the drugs and dysfunction. The pilgramage of Hollywood's depraved is something we endure yearly. Breaking news: we dislike you (for the most part) and realize that all people from California are not in this catagory and amazing people (how lame would you be to judge an entire group of people, by some total losers??), but there are a lot of them. We call you Prune Pickers. Don't hurt your heads, we know prunes are dried plums, it's just that you are so annoying. King of the Prunies is Robert Redford. He has taken one of the most beautiful areas in Utah and turned it into his little evironmental experiment, but the above mentioned pilgramage, is anything BUT green. Like most people who profess to be environmentalist prefer to pay lipservice but don't really practice what they preach. Like the car makers and their separate private jets. Ummm ... DUH!
Mr. Redford HAS impressed and frightened me. I hope in this case he has some serious sway because this is frightening. Utah is beautiful and exists on our National Parks. Utah is breathtaking and diverse. It's like Bush realizes that he has the keys to the car for a short time so he's going to trash it before handing it over. So for once I pray Robert Redford can help us out. Here is his article from Huffington Post:
Robert Redford
Posted November 17, 2008 09:20 PM (EST)

Part of the change Americans just voted for in overwhelming numbers was to move away from the failed energy philosophy of "drill, baby, drill" to a more farsighted strategy, emphasized by Barack Obama, based on clean, renewable energy and efficiency. Yet on the very day that we raised our voices for change, the Bush administration dragged us in the opposite direction.
The Bureau of Land Management cynically chose November 4 to announce a last-minute plan to lease huge swaths of majestic wilderness in eastern Utah for oil and gas extraction one month before President-elect Obama takes office.
As its clock runs out, the Bush administration also is trying to open-up drilling all over the Rockies and Alaska, to green-light oil shale leasing, and to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Though sad, it's no surprise, coming as it does from the same crowd that designed a misguided national energy policy in secret meetings with the oil, gas and coal industries.
The BLM didn't just try to slip the audacious Utah lease maneuver past the American people on an historic election day, it actually hid the ball from its sister agency, the National Park Service, and then rejected the Service's request for more time to review the scheme.
Among the 360,000 acres to be auctioned for industrial development is pristine land near Canyonlands National Park, adjacent to Arches National Park and Dinosaur National Monument. This Christmas gift to the dirty fuel industry includes parts of Desolation Canyon, named in 1869 by the explorer John Wesley Powell, which has been proposed for national park status. In fact, the BLM itself described Desolation Canyon nine years ago as "a place where a visitor can experience true solitude -- where the forces of nature continue to shape the colorful, rugged landscape."
Words alone cannot do justice to the beauty of these places, but they do capture the absurdity of the Bush plan. Oil and gas drilling in Desolation Canyon? Industrial development along the meandering Green River? The thought makes one wince.
The Obama transition team already has signaled its opposition to the leases, and said that once in office the Obama administration will try to reverse them. Let's hope that's possible. Utah's eastern expanse is one of America's few remaining wilderness treasures. It's our land, it's our legacy, but will it still be here for our children and grandchildren? We made our wishes about that known loudly and clearly on election day.
We voted to take control of our own destiny by breaking our addiction to dirty fuels. We voted to re-power America with clean energy from wind, solar and geothermal power. We voted to use of our greatest resource, American ingenuity, to build economic, energy and climate security, and to preserve our natural heritage. Yes we did. And yes we can.
Robert Redford, an actor, director and environmental activist, is a Trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council and is the founder of Sundance, in Utah.

Link to the article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-redford/americans-rejected-drill_b_144499.html
Link to the breathtaking beauty that will be raped:
Arches- http://www.utahoutventures.com/pictures/arches-national-park.htm
Canyonlands- http://www.utahoutventures.com/pictures/canyonlands-national-park.htm
Green River-http://www.go-utah.com/activityLink.cfm?activity_id=453063988

Also there is coal under Bryce Canyon that would have to be strip mined. We've fought this one for years.
Bryce Canyon- http://www.go-utah.com/Bryce-Canyon-National-Park/

It's that time...

That wonderful time that the President has to quickly get all the last minute business done that will go down in history as a part of his legacy. It would cool if President Bush could walk on water or feed a multitude with one fish and a loaf of bread. In lieu of miracles the President realizes that his record of commuting sentences or pardoning prisoners is, in comparison to previous Presidents, is pretty scant. President Clinton was a bit of a pioneer in the area of pardoning people guilty of white collar crime that benefits him somehow. Maybe Bush will go on a pardoning spree in the last couple of months or maybe the really groovy plan of being able to pardon himself before he's ever actually charged with anything will make up for the lack of numbers. I'm not exactly sure how many the conjoined twins, Bush and Cheney are actually guilty of, but there has to be a LOT of them. I do believe this is the week that he pardons a turkey which is nice for that particular turkey, but sucks for a bunch of other turkeys that have lived a life of cime and there is no hope of rehabilitation.
I was also unaware that Governers also pardon turkeys, but maybe they all don't participate in this. I'll bet Texas turkey's never stand a chance. Alaska DOES pardon a turkey, but wolves, moose, and caribou are not so lucky. Neither are the turkeys in the background of Sarah Palin's latest news interview. I am not certain I actually saw the turkey that was pardoned, but we DO get to see the fate of a couple of turkeys that didn't fit the bill. You may need to watch this twice because the absolute insanity in the background makes you automatically tune Governor Palin's interview. The second time if you focus you can here what she's talking about, but as usual it makes little sense. I do smell another awesome SNL skit coming from this one:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/20/sarah-palin-holds-news-co_n_145375.html

Also if you are interest in the list of felonious friends of Bush that may or may not stand a chance of pardon is here:

http://www.propublica.org/article/i-beg-your-pardon-1120/

Talk radio..

I have never enjoyed talk radio. I'll admit I haven't really given it much of a chance. It always seems like angry Republicans bitching about the world in general, or some whack-job predicting Armaggedon, death, and destruction of the entire earth.
Rush Limbaugh and his followers is a whole different brand of lunacy. I think if he told them to pour gasoline over their heads and light themselves on fire, they would. They seem a bit mindless to me. But everytime I see or hear him I feel brain cells actually die, so calling his followers SHEEP isn't too out of the realm of reality. I've obviously got issues with Glenn Beck, but that's already been covered. However, when I wish on a star now days, I kind of finding myself hoping he wanders into a gay bar or something. I think his introduction to reality is funny. They should pitch him a reality show.
So in my new car I have Sirius radio and I looked until I found a leftist radio station. I am not in the car long so I haven't heard a lot yet and sometimes I'd rather be transported to the 80's, but I HAVE heard enough to learn that Republicans haven't cornered the market on idiots. The last two days I have caught this woman who sounds like George Costanza's mother from Seinfeld. She is a complete freak and apparently not ALL dems are as intelligent as I am, and you can say that's elitist, but it's frighteningly true. I suppose this blog is my equivalant to Rush Limbaugh's radio show but I don't think anyone even reads it. I am like the dictator of the Paradox Patch but I have no golden microphone or laptop, whatever. I have no following... YET. Heaven help you all if I ever do! LOL!
I guess the moral to today's story is that some self important loon with their own radio show is not always healthy listening. They seem to portend doom around every corner. Our new President Elect ran on a ticket promising hope and change. I even find myself feeling a bit skeptical and lacking faith, but it is a refreshing change. Maybe he will let America down, but maybe he won't. I'm going to HOPE.

I have some good news and some bad news...

Okay remember when then Senator Obama was trying to explain people (who happened to be PA residents) to people in the more liberal and urban state of California? He had to do a lot of pacifying and explaining why he would suggest that these people from small towns lack faith in their Government and that they cling to their guns and their religion. His mistake there, in MY opinion was nothing he said, but that he made it sound like it was just rural areas in Pennsylvania. I live in a state of people running out to buy every gun in sight. You know what would be cheaper?? Read his mission statement. His position on all things including the sacredness of the constitutional right to bear arms. That's just the tip of the iceberg. It's easy to understand the mistrust of the Government because the Bush administration has been less than forthcoming with their political agenda. All this time we thought we were avenging the audacity of the Al Qaeda.. Yeah, no. We've been fighting a pretty pointless war as our REAL enemies regroup in Afganistan. Have you noticed that this war doesn't have the flashy name of the last one?? Operation Desert Storm, that is something you can really get behind. But this has been confusing with the Sunni and Shiites and who is threatening us and whose side we are on. Even McCain is constantly confused and honestly it IS confusing. THEN we discover that it has nothing to do with the Al Quida at all. So where do you come up with a cool and appropriate name?? Sometimes if you take the first letter from each word you come up with something flashy that distracts.... hmm The War Against Terror? Yeah that sounds like something else, ok, nevermind, maybe I shouldn't be the namer of faux wars.
So back to my point. Not only has this war turned out to be not at all what we were told it was, neither has our Presidency. I mentioned yesterday to a friend that they need their own 'ism' name (socialism, fascism, that kind of thing). I think it should be called OZism. Where we have travelled for 8 years with flying monkeys and scary green women only to find that at the end is the most powerful man in the world deciding the fates of millions, George W Bush. Then someone pulled the curtain aside to find Dick Cheney behind the wheel. Weird how that happened huh???
So we have a new President Elect. Barack Obama and he is confusing the country. He is not filling the cabinet with yes-men and croneys. He is actually pulling in people who don't always agree with him. People that are smart. Smarter than us which is often referred to as elitists, but isn't it time for intelligent people?? People who said some pretty nasty stuff about him. That is really weird don't you think??
Meanwhile the Republican party is falling apart. It's like a catfight. Everyone scratching, pulling hair, and blaming each other. What IS a Republican anyway?? Is there a definition of Republican anymore? Well, they have 4 years to pull it together, hopefully 8.
There is another option though. I think it's really a good one. I have noticed that most rural states are a majority of Republicans (MINE is). The bitter clinging to their guns and their twisted view of religion. I have also found someone who could lead them. His name is Ayman al-Zawahiri. He's the #2 man in the Al Qaeda. He has spoken out to insult PE Obama. Calling him the "house negro" in the White House. A racial reminder of the follies of our early years of slavery. A house slave was more servile than the slaves that worked the fields. To me them is fightin' words. To most people around me it's the punchline to a joke. At the risk of pigeonholing, or stereotyping, which I so abhorr, many of these gun-loving, religion-twisting, people around me (and obviously in many other states judging by the record gun sales) I have a really good idea. So this leader of your new party, is NOT the #1 Al qaeda, that would be Osama bin Laden, but hunters can track really well, right?? So why settle for #2 when you could have the top man?? Take the family, I hear Afghanistan is lovely this time of year.

Awww, my heart bleeds...

So the Mormon church is being targeted with a vengance because people believe that our church passed Prop 8 singlehandedly. Yet again, bigotry astounds me. Hate to protest hate, and lies to beef up the tale. I have argued this issue all day. God loves everyone. It is in keeping with our beliefs that marriage is something that is sacred between a man and a woman. We were among a coalition of other faiths (who are now defending us) including Jews, Catholics, and others. We didn't do this on our own AND actually we make our own choices so it's not even true that all the Mormons in CA did this. The money and time was NOT donated by the Mormon church but by members and again, we did this in concert with other faiths. Hatred has swept the country with protests in every state whether we voted the issue or not. To me this is just stupid.
Then I see this at the Huffington Post:

Glenn Beck Accosted At Wendy's: "You Racist Bigot!".
Conservative personality Glenn Beck was accosted at his local Wendy's Saturday night. Beck's full Wendy's rant below: (I chose to not edit his grammatical mistakes, because he is stupid and this is futher proof.)
It happened to me at Wendy's Saturday night. We are on the bus and we stop to get fuel and I said, I'm going to go in, I'm treating. Everybody wants a Frosty. I'm going to go get Frosties. And one of the security guys, said, No, you're not. I said, Yeah, I am. I mean, it's a truck stop. How much trouble am I going to get in in a truck stop? Everybody here you can trust. You're not going in. I went in, but I had to bring the swat team with me and so I'm just, I just want to Frosty, please, the guy standing next to me, who, by the way, I may point out. Had food in his hair, is a truck driver and he turned around. He looked at me and the recognition was immediate and he said, You racist bigot! And I just said -- I wanted to say, I think you have me mistaken for someone else, but I knew he knew who I was and he just hated me for who I was. You conservatives that have destroyed this country! And the hatred was so deep, it was breath taking. Luckily the swat team was there and I just separated myself from him and he just shouted through other people and there were children in the restaurant and he blamed me for everything, I believe including the Holocaust, and the hatred was palpable. The guy screamed at the restaurant, you better not let me see you in the parking lot because I've got a truck and I'll run your ass over! Wow. Is this who we've become? Is this who we've become?

Who WE'VE become Mr. Beck? No. Who you have become. You do not build up your party, you tear down mine. Even worse you keep telling people that you are Mormon. Stop doing that. It's embarrassing. Although maybe CNN could send you to cover one of the Gay protests. You think Dems hate you??? You ain't seen nothing yet.
I also came across this in reading of the hostilities towards my faith. It is an excerpt I snipped for length from the L.A. Times:

First there was former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's unsuccessful run for the Republican presidential nomination. Many in the church were shocked that Romney's Mormon faith was a source of discomfort for some voters."Latter-day Saints were just amazed to think there was such bigotry in the country," church spokesman Michael Otterson said.

Really? Latter-day Saints were amazed by bigotry?? No one was amazed when one of my daughters primary classmates said she'd like to assassinate Obama. (Another said Obama sucks). No one was amazed when my daughter was told that Obama was a communist, marxist, socialist, nazi, muslim or whatever the lie of the day is. I have never seen such bigotry in my life. I have listened to the "n-word" comes out of church members who assume that I am as backward as they are. Racist jokes, terroristic remarks, hate. All in MY LDS neighborhood. Guess what my friends that encouraged this?? YOU ARE BIGOTS TOO

Hi, my name is Briar

No, really! I have had the screenname Briar for so long now I actually answer to it in the real world. I am very opinionated and I find myself ranting on MySpace. Unfortunately, my friends and family know better that to wander into my blog because it's a verbal landmine. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints (Mormon) and I am a very liberal (with a few strange conservative moments) Democrat. Hence the word paradox in my blog name. I find that if I am frustrated at the stupidity in the world (and that is A LOT of stupidity) I feel better if I blog.
Okay so this is the basic stuff: I've been married for 16 years, I'm an at home mom with two girls who have inherited various parts of my personality which provides fireworks on a regular basis. They are gorgeous and brilliant, despite having me for a mother. I love them more than life.
I am host to an incurable headache (or resistant to any ACCEPTABLE cure). It's been with me for about ten years and I haven't found a name heinous enough to name it yet, but someday I will. I name everything.
I moderate a board called bethshort.com about the unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short (The Black Dahlia) and try to keep the peace. The MOM job is easier, but I love my Dahlia family very much. I was fortunate enough to get to meet them 2 summers ago in LA and hope to return soon.
My more recent endeavors have included being quite possibly the most determined person in Utah to have Barack Obama as our 44th President. I volunteered for the Utah branch of the Obama campaign. I am proud of my work on this because he inspires me. Few people inspire me.

I will likely be bringing some previously written blogs from my MySpace account in the coming days.