If this had been in nearly anywhere in America, there would have been at least two dozen accidents.
If this had been in Texas, there would have been at least two dozen shootings.
June 12, 2008
Driving in India
Good News, Bad News
The good news: This blog has had visitors from quite a few places here in the United States and others from the United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Ukraine, Cyprus, Indonesia, Australia, Ireland, Norway, Germany, Greece, Sweden, Bulgaria, Nigeria, Argentina, Italy, Singapore, Brazil, Slovakia, Spain and New Zealand.
A screenshot of my Feedjit map:
The bad news?
Most haven't been back.
(especially the foot fetishists)
June 11, 2008
Hey mister!
I was so hungry my stomach thought my throat had been cut.
I wanted to eat a proper meal, but the only other downtown cafe was full to capacity and I didn't feel like waiting, so I walked on over to the Coney Island. (see Blueberries with Wings)
As I rounded the corner to the cafe, I was dismayed to see a line waiting to get in. I thought that perhaps, as is sometimes the case, people were waiting for booths and there might just be a place at the counter. The stools are old, well-worn and patched, but preferable to waiting for one of the more comfortable booths.
I was directly behind three women and a young child, a little girl. They looked to be four generations of the same family and as I got behind them, they were griping about having to wait. "Look at that!" one said. "There's one guy hoggin' an entire booth."
I hate to hear griping, especially when I'M in the mood to gripe, but that wasn't the end of it all. I had to listen to them bitch about one's ex-husband, and the oldest woman complain about men in general as she kept casting the evil eye at the poor slob who had the temerity to take up space that he should have ceded to them. All the while the little girl kept telling her mother "I DID see it, I DID!"
"What's she talking about?" asked one of the women to the girl's mother. "Oh, I don't know." the mother replied. "Something about a cat."
The little girl seized upon the opportunity "I saw it, G'ma, it was a cat on the wall!"
"You reckon it was a picture of a cat in a window?" asked the grandmother.
"Dunno." said the annoyed mother. "She's got quite an imagination; it really bothers her daddy when she comes to him with stories of monsters under the bed."
She's probably got a monster for a daddy, I thought irritably. I spied an open stool at the far end of the counter, but getting through this mass of womanhood was probably an impossible task. The women blathered on, oblivious to my "Excuse me, please." as I tried to get around, under, through them.
My stomach growled and I hoped it wouldn't scare the little girl, a real-life low-blood sugar monster standing right behind them, getting more P.O.'d with every moment.
Something was tugging at my shirt and I looked down at the little girl who had the cloth in her grubby little hand.
"Hey mister, you saw it, dintcha? The cat on the wall?"
My heart melted, my anger vanished. There was an angel's face attached to those sticky fingers. I smiled, and shook my head.
"Sorry, honey, I wasn't paying attention."
"Leave that man alone!" said the mother to her child, pulling her away from me. I felt stitches give way in my shirt, felt my own annoyance coming back. The old lady was now giving me the evil eye and I wondered if I shouldn't just push past them, go join the solitary guy in the booth since we both were now on the women's bad side. I stared back at the woman and could see in her eyes that she thought I was some sort of child molester because I was talking to the girl.
I figured I had better get away for a minute, "simmer down",wait on some folks to get done eating, so I stepped outside for some fresh air. As I turned and opened up the door, the little girl spoke to me again "Hey mister, see if that cat's still there!" The old lady pulled the child closer to her, away from me, the pervert.
I stepped out on the curb, and lit a cigarette. I looked up, and was surprised at what I saw:
I hurried back to my pickup and grabbed my camera (it's ALWAYS with me) to take the previous shot and the following ones.
At one time, there was a rather seedy hotel for transients, The Davis, next door to the Coney. When I was a young man, the rooms were two dollars a night, and I expect that the rates hadn't gone up a whole lot since then. You get what you pay for.
As you can see, the screen was torn and a cat was sunning itself on the window ledge.
I couldn't help but laugh to myself, and took my camera back to my truck. The cafe had cleared out some in the meantime, and I found a booth just behind the same women. I had no sooner sat down when I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder, it was the little girl.
"Didja see it, mister? Didja see the cat on the wall?"
"Sure did, hon. It was a calico kitty sunning itself in the window, you were right!"
With a smug look that only women can have when they're proven to be right, she turned around and plopped back down in the booth.
I ordered, got my meal and was eating when the women finished their food and were leaving. They had started down the aisle, little girl in tow, when she pulled away and came running back to me. She climbed up next to me on the booth, put her head on my chest and gave me a little squeeze with mustard stained fingers then looked squarely at me with a million watt smile which I took as a "thank you" for believing her.
Granny came back and yanked her away from me before I could do harm to her over-imaginative grandchild. I laughed as the little girl was dragged away, facing me and waving and yelling all the way out of the Coney.
"Bye-bye! Bye, mister!"
I wanted to eat a proper meal, but the only other downtown cafe was full to capacity and I didn't feel like waiting, so I walked on over to the Coney Island. (see Blueberries with Wings)
As I rounded the corner to the cafe, I was dismayed to see a line waiting to get in. I thought that perhaps, as is sometimes the case, people were waiting for booths and there might just be a place at the counter. The stools are old, well-worn and patched, but preferable to waiting for one of the more comfortable booths.
I was directly behind three women and a young child, a little girl. They looked to be four generations of the same family and as I got behind them, they were griping about having to wait. "Look at that!" one said. "There's one guy hoggin' an entire booth."
I hate to hear griping, especially when I'M in the mood to gripe, but that wasn't the end of it all. I had to listen to them bitch about one's ex-husband, and the oldest woman complain about men in general as she kept casting the evil eye at the poor slob who had the temerity to take up space that he should have ceded to them. All the while the little girl kept telling her mother "I DID see it, I DID!"
"What's she talking about?" asked one of the women to the girl's mother. "Oh, I don't know." the mother replied. "Something about a cat."
The little girl seized upon the opportunity "I saw it, G'ma, it was a cat on the wall!"
"You reckon it was a picture of a cat in a window?" asked the grandmother.
"Dunno." said the annoyed mother. "She's got quite an imagination; it really bothers her daddy when she comes to him with stories of monsters under the bed."
She's probably got a monster for a daddy, I thought irritably. I spied an open stool at the far end of the counter, but getting through this mass of womanhood was probably an impossible task. The women blathered on, oblivious to my "Excuse me, please." as I tried to get around, under, through them.
My stomach growled and I hoped it wouldn't scare the little girl, a real-life low-blood sugar monster standing right behind them, getting more P.O.'d with every moment.
Something was tugging at my shirt and I looked down at the little girl who had the cloth in her grubby little hand.
"Hey mister, you saw it, dintcha? The cat on the wall?"
My heart melted, my anger vanished. There was an angel's face attached to those sticky fingers. I smiled, and shook my head.
"Sorry, honey, I wasn't paying attention."
"Leave that man alone!" said the mother to her child, pulling her away from me. I felt stitches give way in my shirt, felt my own annoyance coming back. The old lady was now giving me the evil eye and I wondered if I shouldn't just push past them, go join the solitary guy in the booth since we both were now on the women's bad side. I stared back at the woman and could see in her eyes that she thought I was some sort of child molester because I was talking to the girl.
I figured I had better get away for a minute, "simmer down",wait on some folks to get done eating, so I stepped outside for some fresh air. As I turned and opened up the door, the little girl spoke to me again "Hey mister, see if that cat's still there!" The old lady pulled the child closer to her, away from me, the pervert.
I stepped out on the curb, and lit a cigarette. I looked up, and was surprised at what I saw:
I hurried back to my pickup and grabbed my camera (it's ALWAYS with me) to take the previous shot and the following ones.
At one time, there was a rather seedy hotel for transients, The Davis, next door to the Coney. When I was a young man, the rooms were two dollars a night, and I expect that the rates hadn't gone up a whole lot since then. You get what you pay for.
As you can see, the screen was torn and a cat was sunning itself on the window ledge.
I couldn't help but laugh to myself, and took my camera back to my truck. The cafe had cleared out some in the meantime, and I found a booth just behind the same women. I had no sooner sat down when I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder, it was the little girl.
"Didja see it, mister? Didja see the cat on the wall?"
"Sure did, hon. It was a calico kitty sunning itself in the window, you were right!"
With a smug look that only women can have when they're proven to be right, she turned around and plopped back down in the booth.
I ordered, got my meal and was eating when the women finished their food and were leaving. They had started down the aisle, little girl in tow, when she pulled away and came running back to me. She climbed up next to me on the booth, put her head on my chest and gave me a little squeeze with mustard stained fingers then looked squarely at me with a million watt smile which I took as a "thank you" for believing her.
Granny came back and yanked her away from me before I could do harm to her over-imaginative grandchild. I laughed as the little girl was dragged away, facing me and waving and yelling all the way out of the Coney.
"Bye-bye! Bye, mister!"
A Rather Queer Email
Just got this in my inbox, and forgive me for the title, but I wanted to draw attention to this:
Texas Coach speaks out
Jim Neugent is a coach in Childress , Texas .
Jim writes: My name is Jim Neugent. I wrote to ABC (on-line) concerning a program called 'THE PRACTICE.' In last nights episode, one of the lawyer's mothers decided she is gay and wanted her son to go to court and help her get a marriage license so she could marry her 'partner.' I sent the following letter to ABC yesterday and really did not expect a reply, but I did get one.
My original message was:
ABC is obsessed with the subject of homosexuality. I will no longer watch any of your attempts to convince the world that homosexuality is OK. ' THE PRACTICE' can be a fairly good show, but last night's program was so typical of your agenda. You picked the 'dufus' of the office to be the one who was against the idea of his mother being gay, and made him look like a whiner because he had convictions.
This type of mentality calls people like me a 'gay basher.' Read the first chapter of Romans (that's in the Bible) and see what the apostle Paul had to say about it.... He, God and Jesus were all 'gay bashers'. What if she'd fallen in love with her cocker spaniel? Is that an alternative life style? (By the way, the Bible speaks against that, too.)
--Jim Neugent
Here is ABC's reply from the ABC on-line webmaster:
How about getting your nose out of the Bible (which is ONLY a book of stories compiled by MANY different writers hundreds of years ago) and read the declaration of independence (what our nation is built on), where it says 'All Men are Created equal,' and try treating them that way for a change! Or better yet, try thinking for yourself and stop using an archaic book of stories as your lame crutch for your existence. You are in the minority in this country, and your boycott will not affect us at ABC or our freedom of statement.
Jim Neugent's second response to ABC:
Thanks for your reply. From your harsh reply, evidently I hit a nerve. I will share it with all with whom I come in contact. Hopefully, the Arkansas Democrat Newspaper will include it in one of their columns and I will be praying for you.
Jim Neugent
Note: Wouldn't Satan just love it if people stopped using the Bible for a crutch? Please resend this to everyone in your mailbox. Thanks , Jim Neugent
I wonder if the person from ABC considered how many people would read this e-mail! This is one we should definitely pass on.
I generally just delete these things from my inbox, but I couldn't let this one go. I started to BCC everyone on the original mail, something like a hundred people (which is ironic, considering the last part of my reply)
(Oddly enough, one of the CC's was a mike at michaelmooreDOTcom I'm NOT going to give him a link from here, NO WAY)
Here's my reply:
According to Snopes, that's a true story, but not the ENTIRE story.
Here's the rest, from the website:
It didn't take long, through the power of the press and the Internet, before Mr. Neugent's message and the ABC webmaster's reply were causing a stir all over the country. ABC, after having investigated the matter, sent Mr. Neugent an official apology:
Dear Mr. Neugent:
We apologize for the e-mail message that was sent to you with comments that reflect neither the view of ABC nor of its executives. Viewer mail is traditionally handled by our Audience Information department for response. Your message was inappropriately handled by a programmer from ABC.com. I want to assure you that the response that you received does not in any way reflect the views of ABC Television, and most importantly is not at all consistent with the manner in which KATV, our valued partner in Little Rock, would ever treat their audience/community members.
Unfortunately, as in any organization, there are bound to be a few individuals that step out of line. To that end, we completed a comprehensive investigation into the matter earlier this afternoon. While the individual was deeply contrite and wanted to apologize to you, we felt that his actions were reprehensible and terminated him immediately.
Specifically in response to your original concerns regarding the subject of homosexuality in our programming, the ABC programming department has tried to treat such subjects in a sensitive manner. We recognize that we are serving a large, diverse audience with a wide range of attitudes towards all types of entertainment programming. We believe that programs thoughtfully reflecting social issues existing in our present society constitute proper television faire. We appreciate your original comments and take serious note of your thoughts on the potential direction of future story lines.
We are glad that you brought the e-mail incident to our attention. We truly regret that this happened, and we hope you understand by our actions that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior from any member of our staff.
Finally, I would like to once again add that the response that you received should in no way be attributed to our partner in Little Rock, KATV. As you well know, KATV has been the news and public affairs leader in Little Rock for years, and will be for many more. A finer, more committed television station does not exist. I would not want their reputation to suffer in any way due to our mishap.
Please accept our apologies and regrets.
Sincerely,
Daren Benzi
ABC Television Network
I put in some more "debunker" links:
More at these links:
http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/rudeabc.html
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blneugent.htm
http://www.truthminers.org/abc.htm
http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/hoaxes/hoaxdetails.asp?HName=ABC+Response+to+Jim+Neugent
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/a/abc-practice.htm
http://www.bighoaxes.com/hoaxe_12_247.html
There are dozens more, and one person...who lives in Childress...says there never was a Coach Neugent at that school.
I understand why people would be upset, though. I know what the Bible says, but I also think that God makes each and all of us exactly what we are...in other words, I think people are "born gay". Personally, I think that's a hurdle God has given those people to overcome, just as He has chosen to give other people severe handicaps at birth. (why would God make me nearsighted? I don't dwell on it, because He promises us these things will be revealed to us someday)
I wouldn't argue against the premise that they have something mentally "wrong" with them, because who in their right mind would choose that lifestyle? A lifestyle that could cause them to lose their friends and family when they find out, a lifestyle that sets them apart in "normal" society, a lifestyle that can get them beaten and sometimes murdered for their sexual proclivities. To me, a fairly new and definitely rough-edged Christian, that attitude of hating gays and wishing them dead is anything but Christian.
Then again, I'm secure in knowing just who and what I am, pathetic as that might be in other's eyes. I've always thought that folks that protested the most just might have some doubts about their own sexual orientation.
Granted, gays don't help their cause by marching in the streets in San Francisco, displaying their "perversions" for all the world to see, but I have known quite a few gay people personally and for the most part, they're honest, caring Americans, and as such, deserve the same rights as do the rest of us. (I know some gay guys who are certainly more "manly" that are many straight guys) I guess my beliefs stem from being of a libertarian bent; i.e. I think govt. has absolutely NO BUSINESS in our homes and particularly our bedrooms. I also think the govt. has no right regulating marriage for gays...or for straights either, for that matter.
None of us are born perfect; it's the quest for perfection, our life-long attempt to walk in Jesus' path, that makes us Christians.
Did you know that incidences of gay teen suicide are on the order of three times that of straight teens? Have you ever had to justify your own existence, wonder why the majority of society hates you? How would you like to live a half-life in the shadows of society, ejected from your family for something you feel you have no control over? How would you like to constantly search your soul for redemption and be told by so-called "Christians" that you have absolutely no chance at entering the Kingdom of Heaven?
(to me, adultery is by far the worse sin; you've lied to yourself, you've lied to your spouse and worse yet, you've broken your sacred wedding vows and lied to God. You've managed to destroy your own life, your family's and damaged at least one other family. I DEFY you to tell me that being gay is worse than that. )
Ever wondered how many people are gay? Kinsey said it was 1 in 10, but that's been debunked and most "scientific" surveys put the number at around 3%. Do you have 100 friends? Most of us do and we're blessed to have that many. Stop and think, though, just how many of that 100 are gay. You might say "none" but the odds are that at least three ARE gay...but you don't know who they are for sure and they'll never tell you because of society's attitude --YOUR attitude-- towards gays.
I quit watching The Practice long before it went off the air, not because of any "gay" material or anti-Christian shows they air. No, I quit watching it because it became a crappy, inane show, as do many that have outlasted their entertainment value to me. Personally, I find Oprah's endorsement of Obama and her touting her "New Age Christianity" much more offensive than I do Ellen or any other gay performer's appearances or shows.
I'm always reminded of these verses when I think of how I should deal with my fellow man, sinners and saints alike:
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Matthew 25:31-46 (King James Version)
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
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Wouldn't this --shouldn't this-- apply to our treatment of gay people?
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Note: Wouldn't God just love it if people stopped using the Bible for an excuse to hate?
One more thing: why on Earth would people just NOW be getting upset about something that happened nearly ten years ago?
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