In case you haven't guessed...

I'm attempting to get a system in place where I can add photos to my largely ignored site at my leisure. Hopefully you should now be viewing a REAL BIG FISH! Yes? No? YES! I feel like we're about to enter a whole new world.

Many roads up the same mountain

There are those Christians which are not comfortable with some aspects of the Bible. They're not fond of taking the Bible literally for it causes them great consternation. Maybe, on some levels, I'm even prone to agree but at the end of the day I must accept what the Bible says because I believe it to be the authoritative word of God.

One of the most important disagreements comes with those Christians who believe that there are other methods, other religions, other roads that eventually lead to God. Despite what Jesus might have said about being "the way, the truth, and the life", and no coming to the Father except through Him bit, they are not convinced. You see they can ignore scripture because they know the true nature of God, and He just didn't mean it to be so exclusive. Because He loves us, all of us, ya know. Well, I think he did mean to be a little exclusive. I'm willing to listen to those who think that the Jews are still ok because God made a covenant with them that has yet to be completed, but that is where the listening ends. I mean, I won't be rude about it or anything, but the language is pretty clear and with it coming from the Bible which happens to be quoting the Savior of the world and all, I'm pretty comfortable in my literal interpretation.

I think Paul might agree with me (I Cor. 15:17), but I know some don't. Some will say that would make Christianity intolerant. Obviously, I would disagree. Anyone who read the Bible or at least the Jesus parts will quickly find him extremely tolerant of all. Let's see...my Lord is tolerant. Also, I'm told to emulate my Lord. Ergo...? I'm not saying we Christians pull this off, I'm just saying the blueprint of our religion would hopefully lead us there. I have met very few Christians in favor of theocracy where we could then enforce our intolerance, but maybe I'm just running in the wrong circles.

But just in case anyone thinks Christians have cornered the market on exclusivity or even intolerance, let me introduce you to a true example of intolerance bordering on hate. (HT: Lileks)

The day will come when we will rule America. The day will come when we will rule Britain and the entire world – except for the Jews. The Jews will not enjoy a life of tranquility under our rule, because they are treacherous by nature, as they have been throughout history. The day will come when everything will be relived of the Jews - even the stones and trees which were harmed by them. Listen to the Prophet Muhammad, who tells you about the evil end that awaits Jews. The stones and trees will want the Muslims to finish off every Jew.
- Courtesy Sheik Ibrahim Mudeiris

Who doesn't feel warm and fuzzy after that? I know there are those that will be quick to cry that he does not represent the Muslim religion...and they're probably right. Except, how much dancing in the streets do we have to see when the towers fell? Why do nations that consider themselves Muslim view religious freedom as such a foreign concept? Exactly how many times do I have to be called an infidel? How can so many be perfectly comfortable with the hating of and entire nation, if not hemisphere, in regards to the tenets of their religion.

All that to say, these two religions are not leading to the same peak, and one of them definitely doesn’t think so.


What's that? Need a Deadwood quote? What are my words not enough for you!? Fine:

"Don't play that sh*t where you make me drag your words out. Declare, or shut the f*ck up"

Looking a Gift Horse in the ...?

Ok, as I write this, it is 11:30 am. I am now over 20 hours into my 40-hour workweek. I have yet to be assigned a new task...for the week. The average is about 3 a day. My tally for the week still sits at ZERO.

Positives? I have had to do very little work-- I've done some, just on stuff from last week. Fully caught up on blogs and newspaper. New minesweeper record (well, on this computer at least).

Negatives? Will someone (i.e. my boss, or worse yet, my boss' boss) realize, or at least contemplate, "We don't need this guy"? Getting bored. Possible carpal tunnel from minesweeper marathon.

Nonetheless, I will not worry. I will not glance at any part of the gift horse's anatomy.


Oh, why yes, you do get another quote from Deadwood:

Jack McCall, on realizing he's drawn the ire of a notorious gunfighter: "Should we shake hands or something, relieve the atmosphere. I mean how stupid do you think I am?"
Wild Bill Hickok: "I don't know, I just met you."

Lazy

I got nothing, so here's the Deadwood quote:

"Announcing your plans is a good way to hear god laugh."

Why today doesn't suck

Today, Baseball hall-of-famer Yogi Berra turns 80 years old.

Berra, Yogi (Lawrence Peter Berra) , 1925–, American baseball player and manager, b. St. Louis. An outstanding catcher with the New York Yankees (1946–63), Berra was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1951, 1954, and 1955, hit 358 career home runs and appeared in 14 World Series. He managed the Yankees and Mets for a total of seven years, leading each team to the pennant (Yankees, 1964; Mets, 1973); he also coached with the Mets, Yankees, and Astros, Berra is renowned for his unintendedly ironic humorous comments.

And just in case you're curious. The famed cartoon, Yogi Bear, was named after him, not vice-versa. In celebration of Yogi, and his great career, some of his malapropisms:

When you get to a fork in the road, take it.

Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded.

At a dinner in an Italian restaurant, he was asked how many slices should be cut in his pizza, and he replied "You better make it four, 'cause I don't think I could eat six."

And of course,"It's like déjà vu all over again."

God bless Yogi Berra.

Now, the next episode in our continuing saga of Deadwood quotes:

"The Creator in His infinite wisdom Mrs. Garret salted His works so where gold was, there also you'd find rumor."

Am I the only one?

Twelve years after the release and subsequent deluge of "Chattahoochee" by Alan Jackson, I'm still left wondering after that second line. What does hoochie-coochie mean? How hot is "hotter than a hoochie coochie?". I'm assuming that's really hot. But really, what is Alan talking about when he says hoochie-coochie? No really. No...REALLY.

And now for today's obligatory Deadwood quote:

"[D]on't you agree that truth, if only a pinch, must season every falsehood, or else the palate f**king rebels?"

The Knowing Nod

After a weekend at home being regaled by tales from my dearest mother and my sister regarding the attending of a baby shower and the ins and outs of female conversation and lack thereof, I was left much relieved that I was born of the masculine persuasion. I take great comfort in the fact that a complete discourse between two men can be replaced without loss of understanding or feeling by what Mike Rhyner has dubbed "the knowing nod".

Instead of verbalizing, "Thanks for the drink," a perfect substitute? Knowing nod.
Greeting at doorway of restaurant, office, mailbox? Anywhere really. Knowing nod.
You don't need a hand written thank-you note. What do you need? Knowing nod.
"That was very gentlemanly of you to let me out of the turn only lane." Knowing nod.
"Nice putt." Knowing nod.
"Glad you put that loud-mouthed drunk in his place." Knowing nod.
"What's the score?" Knowing nod. (In direction of TV set with said game)
As the AMC theater is always ready to note...
Silence Is Golden® (Yes, they claim to have it trademarked.)

And now our daily feature on quotes harvested from Deadwood concerning politics (or anything else I find interesting).

"If we're going to be surprised by that, boys—government being government—will we next be shocked by the rivers running and the trees casting f---ing shade?"

Say what you will

Two quick quotes that made me chuckle. One from Hugh Hewitt's site:

A day after Senator Uriah Reid (D-Nev) brands the president a "loser" and then apologizes, a week after Senator Ken Salazar (D-Colo) labels Focus on the Family as the anti-Christ and then apologizes, and a month after Senator Robert Byrd (D-WVA) brands the Senate GOP as Hitler's heirs, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) appeals to President Bush to bring moderation to the Republican side of the debate on the filibusters. Now that is rich. Wildly amusing and ineffective, but rich.

Especially when you consider this account of Senator Reid's appearance before high school students yesterday:
"Reid took students through a primer of the five most-disputed judicial nominees, arguing some were opposed to the 1973 Roe v. Wade case legalizing abortion. He charged others with trying to dismantle government programs like Social Security.
'I don't want them. I think they're bad people,' Reid said of the nominees
He described California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown, one of the Bush nominees Republicans will probably float first for approval, as an African-American opposed by the Congressional Black Caucus.

'She is a woman who wants to take us back to the Civil War days,' Reid said."

That leads us to this one, from HBO's Deadwood, a show not safe for children nor most women, I suspect. Nonetheless, a character known for being the point man in an attempt of a wealthy businessman to basically con the entire town, being responsible for the death of many (including an odd penchant for slitting the necks of prostitutes with which he is finished), and being complicit in what is essentially sex-slave trade was quoted as saying:

"I am a sinner who does not expect forgiveness. But I am not a government official. "

Indeed.