Isis, and ISIS

The Rogue Speaks:

 

Sweet, loving Isis was a goddess in the Ancient Egyptian religion.  She was also worshipped in the Greco-Roman world.  Isis was the ideal mother and wife, and a friend of the downtrodden.  Even the wealthy aristocrats prayed to Isis, and she always listened.

 

The name Isis means "Throne."  Her headdress is a throne.  The pharaoh was her "child" and she provided the throne on which he sat.  Isis married her brother, Osiris (not gonna happen today, is it!!)  They had a baby, Horus.  Osiris was murdered by Set, his own brother, and Isis used her magic to resurrect him from the dead long enough to conceive Horus, even though she had to collect all his body parts first.

 

Egyptians believed that the Nile River flooded because of the tears of sorrow Isis wept for her beloved Osiris. This belief continued until paganism was suppressed in the Christian era.  The popular paintings of Horus nursing became a Christian theme, with Mary nursing the infant Jesus.

 

The kind and gentle Isis helped anyone she could, and still managed to keep the house clean and provide hardy meals for her family.  It would never enter her mind to kill or harm anyone!!

 

It is now 2016, and another ISIS has appeared on the scene.  Unfortunately this is not the good and kind Isis, but a terrorist group with the same name.  The ISIS you have been hearing about in the news for the last several years is the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.  It is also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (the eastern Mediterranean), or ISIL. It is an active jihadist militant group in Iraq and Syria, and it is trying to be the "religious" authority of all Muslims.  To be fair, there are also other world-wide religious groups who feel that their way is the only way, and that anyone who does not follow their teachings is doomed.

 





 So I'm not showing them!!

 

 

 

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, who died in 1792 was the first modern Islamic fundamentalist and extremist, and ISIS is known for its "Wahhabist" interpretation of Islam.  Osama bin Laden came from Saudi Arabia, and was known to be a Wahhabi ( Please don't confuse the word with "Wasabi," which is a wonderful spicy condiment from Japan!  Hahahaha!!).  Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab claimed that many Muslims were not true Muslims because they did not follow the strict teachings.  This is significant, because it is forbidden for one Muslim to kill another, but in the Wahhabist's skewed and sick interpretation of the Koran, if someone is not a "true" Muslim, then killing them is just fine and dandy! Many uneducated people believe that the Koran instructs the followers to kill the "infidels."  I kind of equate this with those who bomb abortion clinics, and kill innocent people simply because they think differently about abortion.  Do you get my drift?

 

ISIS does not regard it's religion as just one school of thought--it believes it is the only way, and nothing else counts.  Does this sound familiar??

Today Donald Trump proclaimed that ISIS was founded by President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A well-known commentator asked Trump if he was saying that Obama and Clinton aided ISIS. "NO!" Trump replied. "They founded ISIS!"  Since Trump is woefully ignorant in regard to anything outside his scams, someone should inform him that al-Wahhab essentially founded ISIS, which has now become a group that has absolutely no connection with true Islam.  They are now simply killing machines, made up of men and women who are mentally fractured, and filled with unjustifiable anger and malice.  

As we all know by now, Trump is a complete and total idiot who knows nothing about history and the world at large.  He has definitely finished the job of destroying the Republican party.  Of course, it only took him a couple of months to do something that the party itself had begun when George W. Bush became president.  Good riddance to these greedy liars, I say. 

 

 

 

H is for How I See It

The Rogue Speaks:

I have been away from my blog lately, because sometimes life gets too complicated and causes one to not be able to think in a reasonable manner.  However, so much is happening in our country right now, that I feel compelled to express my thoughts on the issues at hand.

Before I comment on those issues, I would like to tell you a little story about a dentist, William T.G. Morton (1819-1868).  Morton, in the 1840's, began using inhaled ether on his patients in his dental practice.  Prior to that time, extracting a bad tooth was horrendously painful.  The patient screamed, moaned, and gripped the chair, while the dentist grabbed the offending tooth with a pair of pliers and twisted, pulled, and yanked until the tooth came out.  People flocked to Morton and his new invention in droves to have painless extractions, and inhaled anesthesia was invented.

There was a glitch in this wonderful invention, however, and it was with the surgeons whom Morton approached with his invention to make surgery pain-free.  The surgeons actually believed that screaming, writhing, and bellowing in pain while one's limb was being cut off, or one's appendix was being removed was the way it was supposed to be. Surgery always came with pain.  That was the hard and fast rule.  This is no joke, people!  These doctors REALLY believed that!  If you don't believe me, Google can help you out with this.  It was quite a while before these doctors finally came to the realization that Morton's invention made their lives and the lives of patients easier when they were treated humanely with a few whiffs of ether before the mutilation began.  Some people find it very difficult to let go of their archaic thinking, either out of stubbornness, ignorance, fear, or all three.  Sad, don't you think?

 

 

 

On the subject of undocumented Mexicans, here's how I see it:  In the mid to late 1800's, the US brought hundreds of thousands of Mexicans into the southwest to work on the cattle ranches and in the fields, harvesting fruits, etc.  They were hard-working, and they were cheap labor.  During the wars, they were sorely needed because American men were off fighting.  Working in America became a way of life for Mexican immigrants. Today, it seems to have been built into their genes, and they just can't seem to stay away, no matter the cost.

 

In 1924, the Border Patrol was established, for one reason or another, and even though the public didn't see Mexicans as "illegal aliens," the law said they were fugitives.  That did not stop farm and ranch owners from hiring them, or protecting them, however, because they kept the costs down, and gave the owners more profit.  And don't kid yourself, they're still doing it.

 

 

 

The door closes, the door opens.  In 1942, we were at war again, and Mexicans, illegal or otherwise, were once again needed.  Whenever America let them, they came.  And if it were not for those hard-working people, America would not be the most lush agricultural center it is today.  If all of those workers leave America, and go back to Mexico, never to return, don't even think about buying all those fresh fruits and vegetables you enjoy.  You will not be able to afford them unless you are part of the 1%. 

 

Donald Trump has absolutely no class.  Every time I hear him yelling about immigrants, rape, murder, etc., and see that silly comb-over flapping in the breeze, I get a little throw-up in my mouth.  The problem is not with the undocumented Mexicans, the vast majority of whom are just trying to work hard and take care of their families, but with the wealthy, sociopathic drug-lords.  Trump should be able to identify with them, because he most definitely is a sociopath as well.  He will trample anyone to get what he wants.

 

 

In the case of gay marriage, here's how I see it:  Our Founding Fathers came to this country searching for religious freedom.  Anyone who believes otherwise is woefully ignorant.  They did not come to America to insure that we lived in a "Christian nation."  They gave us our Constitution.  In that document, the only reference you will find to God, are in the words "In the year of our Lord," which was the accepted way of stating the date at that time.  Most people haven't even read the Constitution, and merely take the word of some other person as to just what it says.  Pretty lazy, I think.  Read it yourself.  I did.

 

 

 

Whenever anyone starts trying to explain the science of sexuality to the "conservative" element, they all stick their fingers in their ears and sing, "Lalalalalalalalala!!!!" at the top of their lungs.  Why  they choose to remain so ignorant is just beyond me.

 

Evangelicals are literally choking on their screams that homosexuality is a sin.  They are quick to quote Leviticus, that old testament book of laws that supposedly God handed down to the Children of Israel.  I am not one of the Children of Israel.  I am not Jewish--I am Northern European and English/Irish.  If the book of Leviticus ever applied to anyone, it definitely is not me.  I eat bacon.  I love shrimp. I wear poly/cotton blends, and I don't believe in stoning anyone for any reason.  Not only that, the word homosexuality appears  NO WHERE in either the old or the new testament, UNLESS someone has re-written the Bible to suit their own beliefs.  If you have studied the Bible, you should know that re-writing it is a no-no.

 

To those Bible-thumping, mean-spirited, close-minded people who claim to be "Christians," how about following the teachings of Christ for a change.  You remember him--that radical, socialist Jew, swarthy, with long hair and sandals, who said in John 8:15, "Ye judge of the flesh; I judge no man."

 

Before I jump into my final rant, I would like to give you a little background on the Pledge of Allegiance.  It was written in 1892, by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931), who was a socialist minister.  When I was a little girl, saying the Pledge every day in school, the words "under God" were not part of the Pledge.  It was changed in 1954 at the urging of Dwight Eisenhower, who was president at that time.  Bellamy's daughter was very much against the change.

 

As to the Confederate battle flag, here's how I see it:   Segregation, rednecks, moonshine, KKK, ignorance, stupidity, arrogance, and hate.  One would think that over the centuries, with all the advances in science, genetics,  history, etc., that the human beings in this country could have reached a consensus that, as our Constitution reads, all men really ARE created equal.  There is just no mystery about that.

 

 

 

Whew!!! This is the longest I have been at the computer in MONTHS!  If you've a mind to, I would love to hear your views on these subjects.

 

This is actually a re-post, written when all of us were participating in AlphabeThursday.  I really miss it!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





 

 

Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned

The Rogue Speaks:

That is actually what many citizens of Rome said!! It was year 64, and the fire broke out in the southeast corner of the Circus Maximus.  It quickly spread through all the shops, and the conflagration lasted for the better part of a week.  Then it started up again and lasted for about a month, totally destroying 10 of the 14 districts in which the city had been divided.

Many people believed that Nero was responsible, because he wanted to be able to compare the current downfall of Rome to that of Troy.  Nothing he could do could remove the suspicion that "the emperor had fiddled while Rome burned."  Even the plebes, who had been staunch supporters, decided they didn't like him so much any more.  This was especially true when they found out that his plans to rebuild the city included a very large portion that he designated as strictly his!

As his popularity started circling the porcelain bowl, Nero realized that he had better find someone to blame for the destruction.  "I've got it!" he cried. "Let's blame the Christians!  People already don't like them because they won't worship me!  They're the perfect scapegoats!"

It just so happened that Peter and Paul were visiting the Christians in Rome at the time, for a secret revival, so the Romans snatched them up, and took them to Nero's circus near the Mons Vaticanus.  Everyone was invited to  "Torture The Christians Night."

Things didn't exactly turn out the way Nero planned, though.  Peter and Paul were exposed to wild animals, smeared with pitch and set on fire, and the event was so grisly that the people began to feel sorry for the two Christians.  Later, Peter was crucified upside down on the Vatican hill, and Paul's head was cut off.

After seeing all the horrible torture, the people became convinced that Nero actually did set that fire, so his little plan to blame it on the Christians backfired.  The people decided, "what a sick freak!"  His popularity plummeted, and that, my friends, is that!!


America has its own Circus Maximus going on right now, and the star of the show just night be related to Nero.  Hopefully, the "plebes" will realize just what a narcissistic con-man the current "Nero" is and have a change of heart about helping him to ascend the throne.  We don't need his kind trying to rule America like Nero ruled Rome. 


So far, this week has been an excellent example of the players in "Lord of the Flies."  Things will change next week, though, when the real adults begin their convention in Philly.

Safety in Numbers

The Rogue Speaks:




I know you will be relieved to know that my post today is NOT about politics!  Instead, I decided to share a photo I took while playing golf on Jekyll Island a couple of weeks ago.  I stopped, and kept my eye on this group for a few minutes to see if anyone would make a move.  Sometimes it really is possible for us all to get along!!!

This is my offering for Warm Heart Wednesday!!

Warm, Warm, Warmer!!

The Rogue Speaks:


Wow!!  Am I ever getting old!  I find myself becoming more and more rigid in my thinking, which really isn't supposed to happen at this time in my life.  I don't have a lot of patience with people lately, and as many of you know, I have never suffered fools gladly, or any other way.  I am way more content to just paint, play golf and bridge,  sit and read, or watch my recorded drama shows at night so I can skip all the commercials.  I can definitely do without any more political news in my life.  Despite all that, for some reason I am still HOPEFUL that some sane individuals will take the reins and steer us away from free-falling into the abyss that seems sure to come.  Despite all that, I am still hopeful that America can turn itself around and become the sane, kind, and giving country it used to be (at least in my own mind).  This used to be a country that welcomed immigrants to its shores, abolished slavery, opposed racism, helped the poor and the needy.  In short, it did "the right thing" for humanity.


Between the years 1949 and 1976, America was pretty much a good place for the middle class, with their income rising at a steady rate.  Then came "trickle-down economics," which is a catchy little phrase that some people came to believe in.  Unfortunately, it was at that time that the rich started getting richer and the middle class started getting screwed.  It was a policy that never, ever worked the way we were told it would.  That trickle became a drip, and then it dried up altogether.  By 2008, our 401K had disappeared entirely.  I was REALLY mad!  The banker guy, who was still getting paid the fat bucks, eventually lost his job, and then had the gall to call us and say he was starting his own company and wanted our business.  "What business?" I asked him. "Your greedy incompetence lost us all our money!  You're an idiot!"


So here we are in 2016, and the "American dream" has become "Nightmare on Elm Street."  A fascist pig is running for President, and urging his band of miscreants to punch people in the face, and they are actually doing this!!!  The rest of the world is laughing at our stupidity. 


The other GOP candidates hoping to stop the "false god" are not any better than he is, since what they want for America is exactly the reason that the Founding Fathers came to this country to avoid in the first place.  They are all worthless, power-hungry, polluted pond-scum.


Speaking of pond scum, the kind that DOESN'T pollute, is actually floating on the little ponds on the golf-courses right now in the form of pine pollen.  It is bright green, and will eventually dissipate when the weather gets warmer.  It's kind of pretty, in a nature sort of way.  Saturday, we saw seven deer, running and prancing along the trees at the edge of a fairway.  There were herons skimming the lakes, looking for a quick meal, and even an alligator or two, sunning their armor on the banks. 


It was a little slow playing out there, because there were people actually older than we are, playing along and enjoying the first actual days of spring.  I seem to have an awful lot of patience with those folks, because that could be me as soon as tomorrow.  In the meantime, I don't have to think about all the political crap we are standing in, and my only concern is why my second shot ricocheted off a pine tree and ended up in the middle of a palmetto.  One day, I will understand.


This post is in response to Warm Heart Wednesday.   We love you, Jenny!!!

Think a warm-hearted thought!!!

The Rogue Speaks:


Here it is March and I haven't posted anything warm since January, when it was actually pretty cold in Brunswick.  It's hard to think of warm-hearted things when our country is so politically fractured and there is just so much at stake.  I have many friends around the globe, and they are just wide-eyed in amazement at what has happened to America in the last few months.  They think this country is crazy!  No, really!! They do!!  Their countries have looked up to ours for so, so long, and to see what certain disgusting characters are getting away with here just leaves them stunned.




The bizarre characters alone are bad enough, but the media??? I hold the media in large part responsible for the way at least one candidate has moved up into the danger zone.  We have him shoved down our throats on a daily basis, several times a day, for the sole purpose of ratings and advertising dollars.  Not one single media outlet supports the guy as a candidate, yet they continue to let him come into our homes, talk trash, insult people, blatantly lie (especially about not knowing who David Duke is!) and make us get throw-up in our mouths. Yet they don't censor him, and in fact encourage him, all for money.  Shame on them!!!  Shame!!  They went too far and now the train is totally out of control and speeding toward a collision of biblical proportions.




The Republican party is in a world of hurt right now, because they, like the media, didn't plan well for the way things are turning out.  When things started to really get out of hand, they just sat back and watched, and made him sign a pledge.  They should have washed his mouth out with soap early on, and kicked him to the curb, but they didn't.  Another big mistake was moving up voting (Super Tuesday), and switching around the order in which certain states hold their primaries. The RNC decided to do this before the last election because they wanted Romney as their candidate, and the move would give him the numbers he needed to win the nomination and shut out the other contenders.   They have the big old southern states, the bible belt, voting  March 1, along with Texas.  Lot of ultra-conservatives there--lot of evangelicals, racists, anti-Semites, and a whole lot of "poorly educated."  Those folks don't always know what their candidate is actually saying, since he doesn't know how to finish a sentence, but they are just glassy-eyed at how rich he is.  I think THEY think he's gonna make them rich, too!  By moving the voting up in that particular group of states, they have given Satan a chance to garner enough votes to claim victory (at least in his own eyes) as the Republican nominee.  Sad, isn't it!!  "The love of money is the root of all evil."


I worry about this situation  A LOT!!  Probably too much for my own good, but I have grandchildren and I don't want the country to implode before they have had a chance to live a good life.  I'm pretty warm-hearted when it comes to my grandchildren!  There!!  I did it!!  I got "warm-heart" in before the end of this post!!!  Now go visit our sweet Jenny and read more entries!


p.s. I live in a beautiful area of coastal Georgia.  I love the live oak trees and the palmettos, I love the sand dunes and the soft air that is just so great for my skin!  I love walking on the beach, collecting shells and taking photos.  We always dreamed of living here.  What we failed to calculate into our dream of Eden was just how many ignorant, uneducated, racist dunces actually live here as well.  They have kind of seriously gotten on my last nerve since yesterday when a vicious, hateful, lying con-man won the GOP primary.  So today we went to play golf on Jekyll Island, on one of the courses that winds itself through those live oaks, pine trees, and palmettos, and across streams with sunlight filtering through the deep shadows.  I didn't get cold out there.  In fact, I was WARM-hearted in all that beauty.  A nice break!

As for today...

The Rogue Speaks:

I don't really have a "Warm Heart" story for today.  Wish I did!  But it's just not in me!  Instead, I am going to refer you to my friend Sue's blog.  She is just such a gifted writer, and while we disagree on several views, we seem to have a kind of connection that lets us be truthful with one another instead of merely nodding in agreement, but secretly thinking "this woman's an idiot."  Sue is anything but! She is the sort of thinker who puts the majority of Americans to shame.  She is not opposed to listening to new ideas, and learning new truths.  She is talented, thoughtful, spiritual.  So please click on the link below and read her post.  Then go to the comment section and read my comment.  It will tell you why I just couldn't come up with a "Warm Heart" story for today.

http://grannysuesnews.blogspot.com/2016/01/where-is-pavilion.html

Warming My Own Heart

The Rogue Speaks:

The last seven months have been extremely stressful for us, and I am really grateful to start fresh with a new year.  Being at St. George Island over Christmas allowed things to quiet down briefly, and I was able to pursue one of my favorite pastimes--beach-combing--so I could add to my collection.  I will share more about that in a later post, however.

I decided a few days ago to deactivate my Face Book page.  I found I was spending way too much time there, and only occasionally did something useful come from it.  A few days before, I came across a quote that spoke very strongly to me.  It was so meaningful that I have decided to share it here:

This is my offering for Warm Heart Wednesday.  Sometimes we just need to step back and view The Big Picture to set us back on the right track in our lives.  Please check out the other offerings on our sweet Jenny's blog.  Thanks!!

Electric Leaves

The Rogue Speaks:

It has been quite a while since I have written any "flash fiction," a short story of 1000 words or less.  I used to write these short fictional stories when Jenny was sponsoring our beloved Saturday Centus. The following is one I wrote one autumn afternoon:

Electric Leaves

 

 

The lake is calm now

in the smoky sunlight

of an October afternoon.

Electric leaves on the sourwoods

 glow fiery red above us

with a solar power,

and the faded quilt is

cool now, and damp from

our love-making.

 

The sourwoods

are the first to turn in autumn,

and you will be the first

to go away, like those electric leaves

that fall and wither

when winter comes;

but the fiery red glow

of that autumn afternoon

will live forever

in my heart.

 

 

 

Now, head on over to Jenny's Warm Heart Wednesday and read more offerings.

 

 



I Love Your Memories

The Rogue Speaks:

I know that many of you have seen this photo in a past post, but this warms my heart more than any other I can think of.

The night this was taken, we were sitting with Mum in her room--Rod and I and Rod's brother Alan and his wife Jill.  We knew that the end was near, and wanted to spend as much time as we could with her.  For quite a while, Mum seemed to be gazing up into a corner of the room.  Finally, Jill asked Mum if she was thinking about her home, Edmonton.  Mum nodded that she was.  Rod got up and stood by her and began telling her stories that he remembered about her family, and about things that happened in Edmonton when he was a little boy.  Her eyes never left his face.

 

 

"I love your memories," she said.  She died two nights later.

 



It's Been A Long Time!

The Rogue Speaks:

It's been a long time since I sat down at my drawing board to create a little art.  When we left Tucson, my artistic side stayed behind.  Adjusting to a new "climate" has been harder on me than I ever imagined.  I am putting that all behind me now, and doing my best to do what people have told me I do best.

"Snowy Egret"

soft pastel

Judie McEwen

2015

 

I posted my painting on my Face Book page, and the response I got from all my artist (and non-artist) friends warmed my heart more than anyone will ever know.

 

For more "Warm Heart" stories, please check out Jenny's blog



L - Who do you LIKE??

The Rogue Speaks:

The GOP debate was watched by millions of people, many of whom only wanted to see how the "front runner" would fair against a field of real politicians, and one neurosurgeon.  And, yes, I did watch it, in bed, with a glass of wine and a couple of Bayer aspirin.  Here are my views on the candidates, in alphabetical (almost)order:

Jeb Bush -  Pleasant enough, smiling, but not always telling the truth about his years as governor of Florida.  Fact check needed there, for sure.  And please!!  No more dynasties!!!

Ben Carson - What a nice man he is.  Unfortunately, he has no political experience, and in fact, has very little knowledge about how this country works.  He is not at all assertive.  He should stick to separating Siamese twins. OR he could volunteer to give one of the candidates a frontal lobotomy, and delight the rest of the field.

Chris Christie - Yes, he DID hug Obama after Hurricane Sandy.  So what, Rand????  But I don't trust him to be completely honest, plus he looks a little like a member of La CosaNostra.  Sorry!  I just couldn't help that!

Ted Cruz - He looks like a televangelist about to burst into tears.  Anyone who says, "I always tell the truth," probably doesn't.  He supports pork barrel politics, because he has a video out, cooking bacon by wrapping it around the barrel of his AK47, and firing away until the bacon is fried.  What does a "Christian" need with an AK47, you ask? You tell me!

John Kasich - The only one on the stage who appeared to be actually presidential and genuine.  I'm glad he got into the debate.

Mike Huckabee - This guy isn't a politician, but a preacher.  He will push his religious agenda, and walk all over the Constitution.  Now some people may like that, but most Americans do not.  We don't want his brand of religion shoved down our throats, or any other religion, for that matter.

Rand Paul - Rand, Rand, Rand!! You look like a sophomore geek at MIT!  And you have a tendency to get a little hostile.  Not very presidential, and way too much of an isolationist for my taste.

Rick Perry - How many times does he have to take that public speaking course and not get an F???  The glasses didn't help his image one bit, plus he has a goofy smile, and a bad memory.  Carly Fiorina should really have had his place on the stage.

Marco Rubio - Pretty, smooth talker, but without any real substance.  He hasn't been out of short pants long enough to fully understand American voters.  AND he's a suck-up.  Just ask a couple of the other candidates.

Scott Walker - Despite what he says, Wisconsin is not better off with him as governor.  Way too many questionable decisions! Lots of Fact Checks needed there!  Plus, he is VERY bad at managing his $222,899 salary.  He has between $10K and $20K in credit card debt, and one of his cards charges 27.4%, and he has $100,00 to $200,000 in student loans for his two boys in college, and so just how does he expect to manage our country? Plus, he has squinty eyes.  I never trust a man with squinty eyes.

And finally(I told you it would almost be in alphabetical order), "He Who Shall Not Be Named."-
A sociopathic narcissist who knows just what to say to get the borderline mentally incompetent fired up and cheering.  He has no respect for other people, especially hates women, and is only out for himself.  Claims that he will bring American jobs home, while his men's clothing brand is made in Mexico.  Calls people stupid.  In short, he's the last man on earth fit to be president--a total loser.

That's my take on the top 10 GOP candidates, and my  "L" post on Jenny's AlphabeThursday.  I welcome any and all comments.

Refrigerator Art

The Rogue Speaks:

It's not what you think! There are no paintings of polar bears in a snow storm, or a whiteout during a blizzard. It's all about what you have on your 'fridge. You know those magnetic letters that come in a little box and allow you to create your own poetry on the 'fridge? Well, I love those things! I created the poem above, but when I tried to photograph it for this post, the glare was too strong, so I had to create it with one of my programs. The magnet below it is one of my favorites. I really don't know a lot of normal people, so it's perfect for me. Aside from those and a couple of others, I only have pictures of my grandchildren. 

 

I am looking for some interesting stuff that you have on your fridge, like a note that says "return pregnancy test," or "call exterminator about squirrels in the attic," or "herpes test Friday." After that one comes "refill Valtrex." Then there could be "return movies to Porn King video rental." "appt. w/ therapist Fri. at 2" is probably found on a 'fridge somewhere. "Stick needles in both eyes on Monday" is probably not. Nor are you likely to find "eat two pounds of M&M's Friday night." No, wait! My Best Friend Artist loves chocolate, and I know she has a bunch of strange things on her 'fridge--that might be one of them. I'll have to check.

My 'fridge door used to be so full of stuff that sometimes I couldn't find the handle, so I stripped it down to the bare stainless, and only put up things I couldn't live without seeing every day. Oh, and I do have a grocery list pad hanging there.  It says "Buy every item that gives me  10¢ off each gallon of gas!"  We have some strange stuff in our pantry.  Some day, I may even use it!

Probably the most important magnet I have on my 'fridge, and the one that I should read every day as a reminder, reads:





 

Thanks, everyone!  Now head on over to Jenny's and read more "R's!!!!"

Deism

The Rogue Speaks:

This post is sort of a "two-parter."  The first part deals with the Constitution of the United States, and the First Amendment to that historic document by which our country is governed.  Please read very carefully the words of the First Amendment:

"Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Many scholars believe that the First Amendment is the most important part of the Constitution, because it protects several of the basic human rights, and reminds us of some of the dangerous areas on which the government might attempt to tread.  The first part, to me, is the part that this nation needs to become aware of, and to remember in the next few months.  It is MOST important.  There are conservative groups in this country who are trying to force their religious beliefs on the nation.  They would like to see their rules for life, health, and marriage become laws in America.  They want their religion to be THE religion of the United States.  As you can see, the Founding Fathers were firmly against this kind of thinking.  They had had enough of religious intolerance in England, and were determined that that intolerance NOT happen in America.

Forty of America's finest men signed the Constitution.  If they had not firmly believed in what they had written, do you think they would have put their names to it?  If you would like to see those names, let me know, and I will send you the list.

Many of these "conservative" groups have stated that all one has to do is read the Constitution to find that God had a hand in the writing, and that the name of God can be found in the words that were written.  Read it!  Read the Constitution, and see if you can find a reference to the God, or Jesus, or a Creator  that these modern "conservatives" worship.  Let me save you some time.  It isn't there.  The only reference you will find is "in the year of our Lord" which at that time was a common way of stating the date, and had nothing to do with religion.   The people who have told you otherwise either have not read the Constitution, or believe that you will not read it yourself, and will only take their word for it.

During the Republican debates, one of the hopefuls, a woman, stated with certainty that John Adams and his family were devout Christians who fought to abolish slavery.  First, slavery wasn't an issue at that time, and second, John Adams, his wife, Abigail Adams, and their son John Quincy Adams were actually Unitarians.  In fact, many of our founding fathers were either Deists or Unitarians, and were not at all associated with any conservative Christian group.  Thomas Jefferson, one of the signers of the Constitution,  is identified with both Unitarianism and Deism.

So, let's talk about Deism.  Deism is a religious philosophy that deals with reason and observation of the world at large.  The Deists feel that there is no need for organized religion.  They also do not believe  in the supernatural manifestations such as miracles.  They believe that God does not interfere with the decisions, good or bad, that we make in our lives.  Deists believe that human beings see God through the world around us, and through nature.

I took an active part in organized religion for many years, until one day I woke up and realized that that religion just wasn't working for me any more.  I'm not saying that I don't believe in God.  The jury is still out on that one.  But, like the Deists, I don't believe that God intervenes in our lives, to save us in times of need.  If He did, no children would die needlessly, and no people would be made to suffer from painful and debilitating diseases. I don't believe in miracles, and I certainly don't believe that an image of the Virgin Mary appearing on a toasted bagel is a message from God. The Deists believe that God does not interfere with  situations in the natural world.  If He did, He would be on serious overload 24 hours a day! 

Here is an example of that overload:  Rod's brother, an evangelical, came to visit us a few years ago.  He had been in Phoenix for a chiropractic seminar, and came down to play golf with Rod before going back to Atlanta.  The day before, he had lost his "readers."  I happened to have an extra pair that someone had left in my booth at an art fair, so I gave them to him.  He proceeded to tell me that God had provided those readers for him in answer to his prayers!  Really?????  God has enough time on his hands these days to come up with readers for you??? Get over yourself!  Women are being raped in Africa! Children are starving in third word countries!  And God provided you with "readers"?????

Getting back to the Deists, here are some names that you might recognize as contributors to the American way of life over the years:

George Washington
Benjamin Franklin
Ethan Allen
James Madison
Mark Twain
Thomas Jefferson
Albert Einstein
Thomas Paine

 I can go on, but I doubt seriously that the people who really need to get this message are actually reading this post and THINKING.   What I really want is for those sanctimonious people to realize that the rest of us have just as much a right to our beliefs as they do, and to quit trying to undo what our Founding Fathers did when they wrote the Constitution.  Freedom of religion is a basic human right.

Cranberry Salsa!!!! Bueno!!!!!!

The Rogue Speaks:

Yet another thing to make with fresh cranberries!  My daughter Beth and I have made this a LOT!  I took a big bowl of it (double recipe) to our friends' house for Thanksgiving, and came home with an empty bowl!  One thing, though, I cut down the amount of sugar in it down to less than 1/2 cup.  Still tastes great!

 

We found this recipe in the New Orleans paper last year, and have shared it with many friends.  Hope you like it!!!

 

I'm linking this post to Jenny's AlphabeThursday!

Adultery, and The Exploding Life Diet

The Rogue Speaks:

When your adulterous husband leaves you for a younger (i.e. "trophy") woman, you just may be exposed to "The Exploding Life Diet."  You are so shocked, so hurt, and oh so furious that you just stop eating.  This is not a diet that I want to try.  In fact, no woman goes on this diet deliberately--it just happens.

I have an old friend who is on this diet.  She's lost 30 pounds.  Her husband, who qualified for Medicare almost 10 years ago, was flattered by a younger, narcissistic  woman who probably thought she was getting a "sugar-daddy."  She seduced him, and because we all know what part of their anatomy (that is NOT their brain) men think with, the next thing my friend knew, her husband was moving out, and seeing an attorney.

What's up (no pun intended) with some of these guys who can be so easily suckered in by a conniving woman who is blatantly breaking up a marriage for her own edification and enjoyment?  I know that deep down, she can't be proud of what she is doing, because when her family comes a-calling, her Senior Citizen boyfriend is forbidden to show his face.

What exactly does a woman who is ten years shy of Social Security want with a married man who is twenty years her senior? Is she looking for someone to pay all her bills?  In this case, I hope she doesn't think he's wealthy, because the state in which she (and he) live is a community property state, so after the divorce, he'll only have one half of what he has now, and of course there is alimony, plus lawyer's fees!   I hope she's thought ahead to when she's 70 and he's over 90!  If he lives that long, she just might be taking care of a sick old man day in and day out.  Or, if he should suffer a debilitating stroke 5 years or less from now, her caregiver role could begin much sooner!

But maybe she doesn't really care about all that for now.  Maybe she just has her eyes on a goal, and has tunnel-vision about the rest of the picture.  OR, maybe she has started now, collecting sleeping pills so she can pop one in his evening cocoa and go out to a fancy dress ball after tucking him in for the night.

I feel soooooo sorry for my friend, that she is having to go through this.  No woman should!  But she is a strong woman (well, except for The Exploding Life Diet), and highly intelligent, creative, talented and thoughtful,  and she will survive this.  Maybe she'll go on to start a successful non-profit like Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Bette Midler did in that comedy  a few years back.  Ahhh! Revenge is sweet!

This concludes my offering for Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday.  I hope our Jenny is recovering from those pesky aches, pains, and trauma.  We love you, Jenny!!!

Z is for ZUGZWANG

The Rogue Speak:

 

 

Zugzwang, a German word meaning "obligation to move," is actually a chess term.  To be "in zugzwang" is to be at a disadvantage because the player must make a move, even though he had rather pass when it is his turn to play.

 

I know nothing about chess, except of course the names of the pieces, and what the board looks like.  I am, however, taking a "refresher course" in bridge.  What does that mean?  Well, it means that even though I have been playing bridge off and on ever since I was in college, I never knew what I didn't know about the game.  Oh, I kind of suspected that I didn't know, but we always played "party bridge," where there was always a lot of laughing, gossiping, snacks, and maybe some wine.

 

Now I am learning bridge on a whole different level, and I have a constant fear of being "in zugzwang" if I make the wrong bid or play the wrong card, because if I do, I will definitely "go down," or lose. 

 

The kind of bridge that I am attempting to learn is "duplicate," and there is no table talk, or wine, or snacks.  This is serious stuff!  I have to actually think! My partner and I can have no signals, like faking a sneeze to tell my partner to pass, or stating my bid in the form of a question, like on Jeopardy. To me, bridge is a game of numbers, and math has never been my strong point.  I am always on the edge of understanding it, but just not quite!!

 

There is just soooo much to remember!  I have to add up my partner's points with my points, after I figure out just how many points my partner has.  Then I have to figure out how many points the opponents have, and who has what why.  See what I mean?

 

After we have settled on a contract, then we have to actually PLAY the cards, or if the opponents get the contract, I have to play to defeat them.  I have to "lead," or play the first card.  Oh!  My head is spinning!  I fear that if I play the wrong card I will be "in zugzwang!!"  But this is not chess; it is bridge and I am doing this for FUN.  Really? Hahahaha!

 

I WILL learn how to play bridge!  There is something very satisfying about playing a cerebral game at my age.  I'm old, you know.  Wish me luck!

Vacation Photos

The Rogue Speaks:

On occasion, I have posted a few vacation photos on my blog, and so have some of my blogging friends.  Many of them are very talented, and I always enjoy seeing them.  BUT please don't invite me over to see the 100,000 photos you took while on vacation.  I especially don't want to see these--"That's me by the fountain."  "Also me by the fountain."  "another angle of the fountain."  "Me again." "This one's a little blurry, but if you squint, you can see me with my husband Todd in the background."  ARRRRGGG!!!   Actually, you can show me ONE of the fountain.  But since I already know what you look like, DON'T BE REDUNDANT.  And for God's sake, throw that blurry one OUT!

"Are we having fun yet???"

(poor photo planning)

 

I used to save every single photo, but not any more.  If you must save the ones that failed, PLEASE don't show them to me.  Instead, cut them up and make a collage!!!  Then hang it in the master bath, preferably above the toilet.

Do you really think that your friends want to be subjected to every single hour of your vacation commemorated in a photo???  Just how many photos of the Alps can you have in your collection?  If you say 100, please forget my name and phone number.  Just pick out the very best 2 or 3 to show to your friends, and put the rest AWAY!!!!!

Please don't show me photos that you took of family members in the car while you are driving along.  And don't take photos of people with their mouths full of food.  Don't show me every single plate of food that you consumed while away.  I know what food looks like.

Unless your hotel room looks like it last hosted the Sultan of Brunei, don't add those 20 photos to your collection.  If it does look like the Sultan stayed there, please don't show me the toilet area.  Again, show 2 at the most!! (just NOT the toilet!)

O.k., let's say that you spent your vacation at a very large family reunion.  "That's my second cousin, Jed, or maybe Jude.  I don't remember."  We're happy that you have a large family, we just don't want to see them.  Unless, that is, they are highly unusual and entertaining.  That's doubtful, though, eh??

Finally, put yourself in MY shoes.  Would you want to come to my house and see all of MY vacation photos?  Hmmm, I didn't think so.

That's my offering for Alphabe-Thursday.  Feel better, Miss Jenny!  We all adore you!!

 

 

 

U is for Un

The Rogue Speaks:

My friend, Rocky Mountain Woman, expected me to expostulate about the state of affairs in America today.  I decided to oblige her with this post.

Congress, in a most unprincipled way, is determined to undermine the American citizens by shutting down the government.  These selfish brats need to put on their "big boy" panties, and think about the ramifications of the unmitigated gall they are currently displaying.  Everyone in this country is being hurt by their actions.  Workers are not being paid, Head Start is closed down, and the parents are scrambling to find child care so they can continue to go to work, or to school, in order to better themselves, the national parks are all closed, and the small businesses that service visitors to the parks are hemorrhaging money.  NOAA is shut down except for its executives, and the list goes on and on.  God forbid that we should suffer some unexpected national disaster while all this crap is going on!!!  Everyone is being hurt EXCEPT Congress.  They are still being paid, and their private gym is still open, so they have nothing to lose, they think.  They are holding America hostage, and they don't give a rusty f*** about who is getting hurt.

When are the voters in America going to wake up and realize that Congress is no longer serving them?  This country had finally begun to dig itself out, turn itself around, and our future was looking brighter than it had since 2008.  Then these mean spirited, selfish bigots stepped in, determined to tear down every step we had made toward recovery.  The American people are very uneasy and unhappy with the current state of affairs, and have told Congress to get our country running again, but those words have fallen on deaf ears.

The American people wanted The Affordable Care Act, and it is now A LAW.  But Congress doesn't like it and they want it to go away.  People are flocking to the websites in droves, yet some "red states" are refusing to cooperate in helping their citizens sign up for this health care program.  Congress doesn't care what the American people want--they have their own insurance, and the rest of us be damned.  They have put an undue burden on America, and that is NOT what they were elected to do.

Here's what I think we need to do:  THROW THE B******S OUT OF OFFICE!  They are not serving their constituents--they are only serving themselves.  They have become uncontrollable!!

There was a time in this country when the only perk one received upon being elected was the honor of serving the people.  Now they have benefits and perks coming out their a**es.  They think they are invincible!!  Show them, America, unequivocally that THEY ARE NOT.

Congress, get your sorry butts back to work FOR THE PEOPLE!  Pay America's bills!  Increase the national debt limit so this country isn't embarrassed and downgraded! Stop being so underhanded, so ungodly, so  unbearably selfish, so unconscionable in your behavior!!!  Do the right thing for America, for a change!!!

This concludes my offering for Alphabe-Thursday.  I am going to hop over to Jenny's blog and read some of the other offerings.

TOMORROW

The Rogue Speaks:

I was going to write a little bit about this, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow.

Linking up with Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday! I meant to do it yesterday.  Hahahahahaha!!!