Stray thoughts

From things I've heard in passing lately, the problems with the nation's economy are not hitting as hard here in Louisiana. I'm not any kind of expert, as a matter of fact I'm pretty under-informed about the whole situation so I don't know if that's true or not. However, everytime someone talks about it in my hearing I think about a country song called "Song of the South" by Alabama. More specifically, I think of two lines from the second verse:

Well, somebody told us Wall Street fell
But we were so poor that we couldn't tell.

Even though the song is about the Depression, the lyrics make me think of quite a few of the people I know.

Thinking about all of this brings to mind the other stray thought. My toilet is making noises like a Yip-Yip and flushing itself at 6 am. What a lovely alarm clock. So either the plumbing has been invaded by fuzzy little aliens from the planet Henson or I'm about to discover an expensive problem. Yay for me. I'm calling my dad.

naming God (as an accomplice)

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a problem with religion. It's not that I don't believe in God or that I hate all religious stuff. I just don't like the way most religious groups preach one thing and do another. Like tolerance. Saying "love thy neighbor" doesn't mean a whole lot when you are bad mouthing the neighbor because they aren't "real" christians.
Part of my problem is that I just have no appreciation for fanaticism. Whether it's of the tight-lipped, judgemental kind or the wild-haired, eye-rolling martyr type, I pretty much lose interest about the point some yahoo tells me they heard it straight from God's mouth. Somehow I have a hard time believing God is all that interested in talking to some freeze-dried whackaloon.
Reading the news this morning, I ran across this article. Basically, this little 11 year old girl in Wisconsin died because her parents believed it was better to pray over her than take her to a doctor. She had a treatable form of diabetes, which apparently went undiagnosed. Even though she had been showing signs of serious illness for over a month according to family and friends, her parents thought they should just hold fast in their faith and everything would be okay. I read the article and even watched the video. During the video, pieces of two 911 calls are played. The one from the aunt was awful. The aunt seemed sure the mother would fight EMS over taking the daughter to the hospital. Then I read this article, which was an interview with some so-called man of God about his interaction with the family. He had apparently spoken to the parents as they rode behind the ambulance transporting their comatose daughter. I'll just paste the bit that pissed me off:

In the call Sunday, "they told me that she had stopped breathing and asked if I would pray that The Lord would spare her and raise her up, which I did," he wrote. "I called on our prayer ministers and elders to pray for her too. "The next thing I heard from them was that they were being investigated,which is sad since they don't investigate the people who put their trust in doctors whose family members die by the hundreds of thousands from medical mistakes every year, according the AMA's own admission. "We know that the doctors do the best they can with what they have and we do not condemn them. We would like the same consideration."

Umm, excuse me?? This moron is comparing his mouthing of pleas and platitudes with the work of a doctor who knows how to treat the disease the girl had. How on earth these dummies think their prayers are on the same level as actual treatment just floors me. Sorry, prayers and faith are great but THEY ARE NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR REAL MEDICAL INTERVENTION! Pray all you want while the doctors are giving your kid medicine. Just don't leave out the part where you take the kid to the doctor. As far as I'm concerned the parents are guilty of criminal negligence, that freak preacher is guilty of encouraging (or demanding, depending on his preaching) same and now the adults who should have been taking care of this kid are trying to blame God. That's right, I said blame. None of them are taking responsibility. None of them are saying "Yes, I decided not to take Madeline to the doctor when she got sick. I decided she didn't need medicine, just prayer. I denied Madeline medical care and she died because I decided to pray instead of use my God-given common sense." Not one of these adults has stepped forward and admitted their decisions were this little girl's primary cause of death. Nope, instead they are all saying "We prayed for her" "We did the best we could do" "We stayed fast in prayer" "Our lives are in God's hands" . So, in other words, they are saying it isn't their fault this little girl died from a treatable condition (diabetes), she died because God wanted her to. Somehow, I have a problem believing that. God gave us brains and brains are for thinking, not filling up the space inside your skull to keep down the echoes. As far as the last sentence in the preacher's statement, about receiving the same consideration as doctors, I call BULLSHIT! He doesn't deserve any consideration, he deserves at the least a foot in the ass. He and the parents did not do the best they could, they didn't do anything (the parents weren't even the ones who called 911). Why should they receive any consideration, why does he think that his efforts were on par with what a doctor could have done? A doctor could have actually treated Madeline for diabetes. Instead, Madeline dies at the ripe old age of 11 and her parents and preacher pat themselves on the back for keeping the faith. That's not a miscarriage of justice, that's an abortion of truth. How much you wanna bet her parents are pro-lifers committed to saving unborn children? Too bad Madeline was already past the fetal stage.

Bad choices - but at least they provide amusement to others

I always wondered why people vandalize property. Especially when the vandal does something like spray painting their full name across the back of the police station. Somebody got dropped on his head too many times as a child. This one was a little different. If the police ever catch this guy, the attempts to identify him and prove his guilt are sure to be entertaining.
The second story is about yet another man caught in a public display of affection. His chosen love interest, however, was a mannequin. Personally, I think this one is the fault of the security guard, who should have respected a closed door.
The Smoking Gun has some of the most entertaining mug shots I've ever seen. Speaking of poor decision making skills, these folks' problems apparently started well before their arrests.

This last one sounded like a great idea. Anyone who has had to endure some of the spelling and grammar atrocities so prevalent today will probably cheer these guys on every step.

More real news

Pure laziness is what it is. So I'm doing news stories again, which of course I got from somewhere else. It was this or random thoughts and my randoms weren't very nice today. Which means a rant about work is coming real soon. Anyway, here's my version of important stuff people should know:

• Stop Alien Abductions! This has to be one of the funnier sites I've run across. I absolutely love the detailed instructions, complete with a list of needed skills. Also, as you can see, the writer included tool and material lists. I would try to make one of these, but anyone who has seen me with scissors knows how bad an idea that would be. I am going to try to find out more about this guy.
• Chocolate and the environment - Now this is something I consider important. I like chocolate, a lot. Which explains why I weigh more than I want. Get into a smaller size or have another Ghirardelli dark chocolate & mint square? Real easy choice for me. Hey, I'm helping the environment! I think I'll have two pieces.
• Multiple orgasms carried to the extreme - Thanks to GVI who posted a link to this story. I don't know whether I am sympathetic or jealous. I do know that I'd change career paths if I were this lady.

So now you know. I'm lazy and frivolous. Could be worse. I could be mean, arrogant, self-righteous and condescending. But that would take more energy than I am willing to expend.

This is the closest I get to real news

Remember when I said I am rarely serious? I was telling the gods' honest truth. The links in this post are about as close as I get to real news. My fellow d-hallers hopefully will appreciate the humor.

• I really think Lola and Wade should enter this contest. I wonder if the judges allow assless chaps. At least boxers are on the approved apparel list!
• This is for everyone who finds Google ads amusing. It's not about the ads themselves, but I did wonder what would happen if the glitch moved from matching photos with stories to matching ads to websites. I can only imagine stripper pole ads appearing on a conservative religious site. And Mishee, the word algorithms only appears once, but it's plural so does it count as more than one instance?
• After a discussion about coffee earlier today, I ran across a story about coffee condoms. I wonder if they come in New Orleans Blend Dark Roast?
• Criminals with sex toys? Not sure I want more details about why the appliance was tethered to the guy.
• Now this is what I call ironic. If you are such an asshole that even other assholes condemn you, maybe you should just stay home.

Okay, I'm done for the night. I have a really great book waiting for me. I'd like to at least start Laurell Hamilton's A Lick of Frost before bedtime. Or maybe not.

Justice in Pennsylvania?

Apparently, some of the people in Pennsylvania have lost their minds lately. The first two stories really upset me, so I was glad to see that at least some of these people were just loony, not power-maddened asses.

• In Philadelphia: Judge Teresa Carr Deni should be asked to step down. Her Dishonor decided that a defendant who participated in the gang rape of a woman should not be prosecuted for rape and assault. Instead, she held the guy on an armed robbery/theft of services charge, since his victim was a prostitute. Read Jill Porter's story, which includes an interview with Judge Deni.
• Scranton: Police charged a woman for cussing inside her house. Apparently, people in Penn. are not allowed to use profanity inside their homes. I want to know why the cop didn't get in trouble for hanging out under the lady's bathroom window.
• Pittsburgh: A woman is trapped under an SUV while spying on her husband.

Down Under High Jinks

Australian man survives nine-storey fall in his underpants
Well, at least it wasn't cigarette butts and beer bottles falling from the ninth story. Every apartment complex has at least one nut who can't help himself. Someone who is simply unable to pass up a chance to "skylark". Late at night, clad only in underwear, and possibly intoxicated.

Some people will put anything in their mouths

Especially when the person is an idiot. Why would a man take female hormones? Apparently, to make money and please his boss. What a moron. I put this in the same category as Larry-boy and the Pants man.

just a quickie

Sometimes I have a really warped sense of humor. These two news stories gave me a chuckle.

Erotic Corn Dog Eating Contest - yes it exists. The end of the article was a little more serious. I really enjoyed the official statement of "We don't have anything to do with it" when the contest was held right outside the administration building for 4 years. It just means the fair's big hoo-ha enjoyed it until caught.

So Whaddya Think? - the last line just topped it all off. Plus, if the clerk didn't respond with somethin ala Bernadette from Pink Cadillac (It looks like a penis, only smaller), I'm thinking she should have.

Sometimes, I just have to share.