The Church moves forward on several fronts...

First, per Jimmy Akin, The US Bishops are moving forward (per instruction and insistence from the Vatican) to make accurate English translations of the Liturgy. Some of the current translations in use since the 60s aren't quite up to snuff. 'Tis about time.

Next, via EWTN, Pope B-16 is urging strong reform in the religious orders. 'Tis about time.

Third, another step forward in the potential reunion of the Eastern Church with the Western Church (Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox). This is very promising.

Finally, via First Things, the Guardian (UK) printed a story about a potential medical breakthrough. In several cases, patients who were considered to be in "a permanent vegetative state" have briefly re-awakened after being given doses of the commonly prescribed sleep aid Zolpidem (also known by the name Ambien). In a few of these cases, the patients were able to fully communicate with their loved ones for several hours before returning to their previously unconscious state. Score another one for the Culture of Life vs. the Culture of Death.

I'm back...

Thou hast returned!

I'll be posting in the upcoming days/weeks regarding my experiences visiting family and friends back east, as well as my thoughts and reflections on my time spent in Alabama (visiting EWTN and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament).

In the meantime, here's my obligatory "DaVinci Code" post (seems everyone needs to post at least one these days):

The reason why I've never felt the need to read "The DaVinci Code" novel nor see the movie is the same reason why I haven't ever gotten the urge to peruse any of the "Left Behind" books/films. Why in heaven's name would I ever bother with third rate fiction based on seriously flawed theology???

*sigh*

Another stroll along the Tri-Annual Ventura Artwalk...

Last weekend, I attended – a better phrase would be “strolled and perused” – the tri-annual Artwalk in downtown Ventura, CA. Three times a year Main Street and the surrounding downtown corridor becomes a showcase for the arts during a Saturday afternoon and evening. Anywhere from 60 to 80 local businesses – shops, restaurants, galleries, museums and studios – will display the works of various local and regional artists (mostly paintings and sculptures in various forms of media).

You pick up a free map, you grab a cup of coffee, and you scan the listings on the map. You circle a handful of “must-see” locations, leaving the option to see other locations by chance and tickled fancy. And you go for a stroll throughout the downtown area. Some locations are a bit out of the way, so you drive to those places first – usually at the far ends of the district.

I always check out several places at the far western end of town, including Pacific Stoneworks (always intriguing), Stoneworks Studio (always quirky), and the new Bell Art Factory where 25 artists are in residence.

At Pacific Stoneworks I met up with artists Scott & Pat Wynn (husband & wife). What a wonderful couple who were so affable and unpretentious. We ended up chatting for almost an hour on varied topics and experiences. Scott’s been painting for only four years and does simple oil landscapes. Pat's forte is small scale watercolors. Also displayed in the studio was the works of artist Tiger Huang – pencil, pen and charcoal drawings & sketches.

At Bell Art Factory, there were quite a few varied art works on display. What struck me the most was a series of paintings by Susan Cook. Dreamy and sepia-toned in appearance, her paintings can be seen here at her website.

There were two photographers who have an incredible eye: Robert Fields and Dan Holmes. Click on their names to link to their respective websites to view their beautiful visions captured on film.

You can spend several hours just walking around downtown, as many others do, poking your head into a trinket shop here, a clothing shop there, a restaurant across the street, an alley or nook with hidden treasures. Finally, before leaving downtown, I’ll visit two places on the map which I always make sure to visit: the small Buenaventura Art Galley at the corner of Thompson and Santa Clara, and another small studio/gallery on the opposite corner.

Some of Norman Kirk’s watercolors were on display at the former. He’s well known in these parts, and his paintings are masterful slices of life.

Across the street, Lee Hodges has her mixes media pieces on display at her studio. These works are strikingly spiritual and powerful when viewed in person. Viewing them on the computer does not do them justice. They’re mixtures of painting and collage in what she terms “The Cross Series.” Her website better describes her approach to each piece in the series. You can stare at one of her paintings and become lost in the mood and message it attempts to convey, always discovering something new or hidden. Deeply, deeply spiritual in a quiet and introspective way.

One piece which I saw displayed at the previous Artwalk event, entitled “Time of Decision” (here) really moved me in profound ways. Again, the website image does not compare to viewing it in person. It’s now on display in a studio in New Mexico. If I was independently wealthy I’d buy it without hesitation.

I’ve met Lee both times at her studio, and we always chat for a bit and discuss her works. Also displayed at her studio are various wood and marble sculptures by reclusive artist Mitch Mays. I have no link for you to click and view, but his religiously themed pieces are inspiring – including a life-sized wood sculpture of the hands of God and Adam taken from Michelangelo’s “The Creation” fresco in the Sistine Chapel.

Enjoy the links above and see for yourself the beauty, skill, power and grace of the various artists and their works of art.

P.S. This is will be last post for awhile as I’m heading off to visit family in a few days.

On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs (and Shepherds, too)

I received a copy of the following via e-mail from one of my Bible Study buddies. It’s a fascinating read, but I wanted to verify the source before posting it here. Apparently, this has been posted in several places over the last year or so. I’m unsure as to whether or not the exchange between General Dula and the U. of Washington student is legit (though, I would suspect that it is given that it mentions Dula by name). But the lengthy article which Dula then quotes is legit. It’s a journal article written by retired LTC Dave Grossman (apparently along with Loren Christensen). The title of the article is listed on Grossman’s website under the publications section. With the background established, I hope that you will read the following and contemplate what Grossman has to say. It certainly needs to be said, and often repeated as a reminder in today's post-9/11 society.

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In brief, Jill Edwards, a junior math major at the University of Washington, and a member of the UW student senate, opposed a memorial to UW grad "Pappy" Boyington. Boyington was a U.S. Marine aviator who earned the Medal of Honor in World War II. Edwards said that she didn't think it was appropriate to honor a person who killed other people. She also said that a member of the Marine Corps was NOT an example of the sort of person the University of Washington wanted to produce.

What follows is Gen. Dula's letter to the University of Washington student senate leader. Read and comprehend what is being said and decide if you want to be a "sheep".

To: Edwards, Jill (student, UW)
Subject: Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs

Miss Edwards, I read of your 'student activity' regarding the proposed memorial to Col Greg Boyington, USMC and a Medal of Honor winner. I suspect you will receive a bellyful of angry e-mails from conservative folks like me. You may be too young to appreciate fully the sacrifices of generations of servicemen and servicewomen on whose shoulders you and your fellow students stand. I forgive you for the untutored ways of youth and your naiveté.

It may be that you are, simply, a sheep. There's no dishonor in being a sheep - - as long as you know and accept what you are. Please take a couple of minutes to read the following. And be grateful for the thousands - millions - of American sheepdogs who permit you the freedom to express even bad ideas.

Brett Dula
Sheepdog, retired

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ON SHEEP, WOLVES, AND SHEEPDOGS
By LTC (RET.) Dave Grossman, RANGER, Ph.D., author of "On Killing."

Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for? – William J. Bennett – in a lecture to the United States Naval Academy November 24, 1997

One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me: "Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident." This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another.

Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million.

Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.

I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me, it is like the pretty, blue robin's egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell.

Police officers, soldiers, and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into something wonderful. For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the predators.

"Then there are the wolves," the old war veteran said, "and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy." Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.

"Then there are sheepdogs," he went on, "and I'm a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf."

If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf.

But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed

Let me expand on this old soldier's excellent model of the sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. We know that the sheep live in denial, that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids' schools.

But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid's school. Our children are thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school violence than fire, but the sheep's only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial.

The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, can not and will not ever harm the sheep. Any sheep dog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.

Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports, in camouflage fatigues, holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, "Baa." Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.

The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary circumstances they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door.

Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero?

Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of the guns when needed, right along with the young ones.

Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, "Thank God I wasn't on one of those planes." The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, "Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference." When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.

There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does have one real advantage. Only one. And that is that he is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population.

There was research conducted a few years ago with individuals convicted of violent crimes. These cons were in prison for serious, predatory crimes of violence: assaults, murders and killing law enforcement officers. The vast majority said that they specifically targeted victims by body language: Slumped walk, passive behavior and lack of awareness. They chose their victims like big cats do in Africa, when they select one out of the herd that is least able to protect itself.

Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs. But I believe that most people can choose which one they want to be, and I'm proud to say that more and more Americans are choosing to become sheepdogs.

Seven months after the attack on September 11, 2001, Todd Beamer was honored in his hometown of Cranbury, New Jersey. Todd, as you recall, was the man on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania who called on his cell phone to alert an operator from United Airlines about the hijacking. When he learned of the other three passenger planes that had been used as weapons, Todd dropped his phone and uttered the words, "Let's roll," which authorities believe was a signal to the other passengers to confront the terrorist hijackers. In one hour, a transformation occurred among the passengers – athletes, business people and parents – from sheep to sheepdogs and together they fought the wolves, ultimately saving an unknown number of lives on the ground.

There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men. – Edmund Burke

Here is the point I like to emphasize, especially to the thousands of police officers and soldiers I speak to each year. In nature the sheep, real sheep, are born as sheep. Sheepdogs are born that way, and so are wolves. They didn't have a choice. But you are not a critter. As a human being, you can be whatever you want to be. It is a conscious, moral decision.

If you want to be a sheep, then you can be a sheep and that is okay, but you must understand the price you pay. When the wolf comes, you and your loved ones are going to die if there is not a sheepdog there to protect you. If you want to be a wolf, you can be one, but the sheepdogs are going to hunt you down and you will never have rest, safety, trust or love. But if you want to be a sheepdog and walk the warrior's path, then you must make a conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.

For example, many officers carry their weapons in church. They are well concealed in ankle holsters, shoulder holsters or inside-the-belt holsters tucked into the small of their backs. Anytime you go to some form of religious service, there is a very good chance that a police officer in your congregation is carrying. You will never know if there is such an individual in your place of worship, until the wolf appears to massacre you and your loved ones.

I was training a group of police officers in Texas, and during the break, one officer asked his friend if he carried his weapon in church. The other cop replied, "I will never be caught without my gun in church." I asked why he felt so strongly about this, and he told me about a cop he knew who was at a church massacre in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1999. In that incident, a mentally deranged individual came into the church and opened fire, gunning down fourteen people. He said that officer believed he could have saved every life that day if he had been carrying his gun. His own son was shot, and all he could do was throw himself on the boy's body and wait to die. That cop looked me in the eye and said, "Do you have any idea how hard it would be to live with yourself after that?"

Some individuals would be horrified if they knew this police officer was carrying a weapon in church. They might call him paranoid and would probably scorn him. Yet these same individuals would be enraged and would call for "heads to roll" if they found out that the airbags in their cars were defective, or that the fire extinguisher and fire sprinklers in their kids' school did not work. They can accept the fact that fires and traffic accidents can happen and that there must be safeguards against them.

Their only response to the wolf, though, is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain. But the sheepdog quietly asks himself, "Do you have any idea how hard it would be to live with yourself if your loved ones were attacked and killed, and you had to stand there helplessly because you were unprepared for that day?"

It is denial that turns people into sheep. Sheep are psychologically destroyed by combat because their only defense is denial, which is counterproductive and destructive, resulting in fear, helplessness and horror when the wolf shows up.

Denial kills you twice. It kills you once, at your moment of truth when you are not physically prepared: you didn't bring your gun, you didn't train. Your only defense was wishful thinking. Hope is not a strategy. Denial kills you a second time because even if you do physically survive, you are psychologically shattered by your fear, helplessness and horror at your moment of truth.

Gavin de Becker puts it like this in Fear Less, his superb post-9/11 book, which should be required reading for anyone trying to come to terms with our current world situation: "...denial can be seductive, but it has an insidious side effect. For all the peace of mind deniers think they get by saying it isn't so, the fall they take when faced with new violence is all the more unsettling."

Denial is a save-now-pay-later scheme, a contract written entirely in small print, for in the long run, the denying person knows the truth on some level. And so the warrior must strive to confront denial in all aspects of his life, and prepare himself for the day when evil comes.

If you are warrior who is legally authorized to carry a weapon and you step outside without that weapon, then you become a sheep, pretending that the bad man will not come today. No one can be "on" 24/7, for a lifetime. Everyone needs down time. But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself..."Baa."

This business of being a sheep or a sheep dog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-sand-sheep and on the other end is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other.

Most of us live somewhere in between. Since 9-11 almost everyone in America took a step up that continuum, away from denial. The sheep took a few steps toward accepting and appreciating their warriors, and the warriors started taking their job more seriously. The degree to which you move up that continuum, away from sheephood and denial, is the degree to which you and your loved ones will survive, physically and psychologically at your moment of truth.
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I have a nephew who is a police officer, an old family friend whom we call “uncle” who’s a retired police officer, a brother who’s an EMT with his wife who’s an ER nurse. I have a brother-in-law who’s a Vietnam vet, several uncles who fought in WWII. And, of course, my Dad who served in the Navy during WWII and who was there at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Needless to say, I am well aware of the Sheepdogs in our midst.

If I were to add anything to this fine article it would be that Grossman left out one additional (and crucial) piece of this sobering parable of a commentary. And that is the role of the Shepherd. Our ultimate Shepherd is Jesus Christ, and He charges His disciples (from St. Peter and the Apostles all the way down to JPII & B16 and all of the priests and religious to the present day) to continue in this precious and important role as Shepherds of His Flock. For it is these Shepherds who watch over us, tend to our spiritual needs, nourish us with the Word of God and with the Eucharist, continue in their missionary work of feeding, clothing, tending to the sick and brokenhearted, and fervently praying while guiding us on our spiritual path.

So, to all of our Sheepdogs ~ thank you for your selfless service and sacrifice in diligently protecting us from those wolves in the physical realm.

To all of our faithful Shepherds ~ thank you for your selfless service and sacrifice in the name of God, protecting us from the wolves in the spiritual realm.

To all of you Sheep ~ WAKE THE FRELL UP!!!

And to all of you Wolves out there ~ our Sheepdogs will sniff you out and hunt you down ceaselessly. And our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will prevail. You can count on it!

Flying to Philly soon, and then to ......Alabamy (yeap!)

Yeap! I'm heading back to Philly for several days this month, to visit family and a bunch of old friends. From there I'll be briefly visiting the Charlotte, NC, airport on my way to......................... Birmingham, Alabama!

"Why Alabama?" you may ask.

Well, it's sort of a spiritual pilgrimage/retreat. The great and vibrant Catholic cable network, EWTN, is just outside of Birmingham (in Irondale, AL). And the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament (the cloister/monastry where Mother Angelica - the founder of the network - resides is just north of the network in Hanceville).

Both places have pilgrimage tours of the grounds, the shrines, the network itself, plus I'll be in the audience for Fr. Mitch Pacwa's TV series, "Threshold of Hope" on the evening of May 16th. In that series, Fr. Pacwa systematically goes through the late Pope John Paul II's encyclicals. I'm hoping to also snag a ticket to get into the Wednesday evening broadcast of "EWTN Live". If not, then I'll probably spend the early part of that day in Hanceville, then head back to Birmingham to check out a museum before flying back to L.A. on the 18th.

Anywayz... for about 10 days mid-month I'll be away from internet action.

So... you say you're giving 110%, huh?

I got this from a friend, and I laughed my a** off. The whole "I gave it 110%" phrase has always been one of my pet peeves. So, without further ado...

----------------
What makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

and

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

But,

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that while Knowledge and Hard Work will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Bullshit and Ass Kissing that will put you over the top.
----------------

File this under: "Quid Pro Quo"

Polipundit has a comment from one of its readers on the illegal immigration issue here. Tongue in cheek, of course... but oh, so dead-on target. (heh!)

Meanwhile, I've updated my blog roll to the right. Feel free to enlighten yourself by reading them regularly.

Also, two movies I will definitely want to see in the theaters over the next two weeks:

"United 93" and "The Lost City"

Charlatan in the Church...

Unfortunately, there are some in my local parish who praise this guy and his writings . His name is Fr. Richard Rohr. I've read some of his writings, and listened to a set of his audio CDs. There was a period in my life when I strayed a bit from my Catholic upbringing into the New Age arena, though I never went off the deep end. And, since then, I've returned to the Catholic Church and her teachings. Because of my spiritual diversion, I'm well-tuned to abhorrent spirituality. Red flags started waving when I read some of Rohr's "words of wisdom." Granted, there are some decent nuggets of Catholic theology in his writings, but you sometimes have to dig through quite a bit of questionable stuff to get to it. Upon hearing him speak via his audio tapes/CDs, I got (in my opinion) a certain picture of the type of person he reminds me of - a charlatan. I know that sounds harsh, but if you read or listen to some of his stuff with a clear set of eyes you may be able to discern this. If you want a recent summation of this guy's teachings and affiliations, read this to get a clearer picture.

The OSV Interview with Archbishop Chaput...

(Hat-tip to Hugh Hewitt)

Here is an indepth interview with Archbishop Charles Chaput (Denver Diocese), covering the issue of the abuse scandal within the Church inside the U.S.

You can also find more tough yet fair and impartial commentary by Fr. Richard Neuhaus in past issues of First Things.

Another bit of immigration info...

From Redstate, here's an interesting excerpt quoting Rush (yeah, that Rush):

Ironically... in Mexico immigrants [meaning those who immigrate to Mexico] are not allowed individual property rights, must speak Spanish, must have job skills, have no right to vote or run for office, and have no right to government welfare programs. Immigrants must also invest in the country in an amount equal to forty thousand times the daily minimum wage. Further, immigrants are not allowed to protest the government.

It goes on to list some suggested solutions to the illegal immigration issue here in the US. Some interesting points are made, though I don't agree with abolishing the minimum wage (as quite a few comments also iterate).

UCLA vs. Florida??? (ugh!)

The only way the NCAA Championship Game match-up could've gotten any worse than tomorrow's UCLA vs Florida (the team that defeated my beloved Villanova Wildcats) is a match-up of Georgetown vs any Bobby-Knight-coached team. (ugh...... UGH!...... groan)

I'm begrudgingly rooting for Florida.

On the issue of border security and illegal immigration...

Here are several links to some great reads on the subject at hand - dealing with legal vs. illegal, guest worker programs, border security, the type of jobs and who will or won't do them, etc. etc. etc.

Polipundit has a post on border security here. They also have another post on the subject here.

Rich Lowry at NRO tackles the topic of "jobs that Americans won't do" here.

The Buffalo News has a story on problems with the guest worker projects of the past.

The Washington Times has an in-depth article here on the ratios and the positions of an overwhelming majority of Americans.

And RWN has a detailed 13-point compendium on the variously related issues here.

Chomsky - Thy Name is "Hypocrite"

Hat Tip to American Thinker for two great recent reads (here and here) on the infamous Noam Chomsky, his convoluted theories, and his blatant hypocrisy. While the second commentary shakes down one of Chomsky's theories, the first commentary links to an article in Canada's National Post which exposes the man for doing what he criticizes others of doing:

The iconic MIT linguist and left-wing activist frequently has lashed out against the “massive use of tax havens to shift the burden to the general population and away from the rich,” and criticized the concentration of wealth in “trusts” by the wealthiest 1%. He says the U.S. tax code is rigged with “complicated devices for ensuring that the poor—like 80% of the population—pay off the rich.”

But trusts can’t be all bad. After all, Chomsky, with a net worth north of US$2-million, decided to create one for himself. A few years back he went to Boston’s venerable white-shoe law firm, Palmer and Dodge, and, with the help of a tax attorney specializing in “income-tax planning,” set up an irrevocable trust to protect his assets from Uncle Sam. [...]

Over the years, Chomsky has been particularly critical of private property rights, which he considers simply a tool of the rich, of no benefit to ordinary people. "When property rights are granted to power and privilege, it can be expected to be harmful to most," Chomsky wrote on a discussion board for the Washington Post. Intellectual property rights are equally despicable, apparently. According to Chomsky, for example, drug companies who have spent hundreds of millions of dollars developing drugs shouldn't have ownership rights to patents. Intellectual property rights, he argues, "have to do with protectionism."

Protectionism is a bad thing -- especially when it relates to other people.

But when it comes to Chomsky's own published work, this advocate of open intellectual property suddenly becomes very selfish. It would not be advisable to download the audio from one of his speeches without paying the fee, warns his record company, Alternative Tentacles. (Did Andrei Sakharov have a licensing agreement with a record company?) And when it comes to his articles, you'd better keep your hands off. [...]

Chomsky has even gone the extra mile to protect the copyright to some of his material by transferring ownership to his children. Profits from those works will thus be taxed at his children's lower rate. He also thereby extends the length of time that the family is able to hold onto the copyright and protect his intellectual assets.[...]

Read the entire revealing article here.

What I'm currently reading (or attempting to)...

I'm smack-dab in the middle of three vastly different books.

The first is a dog-earred copy of "Shadow Divers" by Robert Kurson (non-fiction) lent to me by my Dad. It's a fascinating telling of the discovery of a WW-II German U-boat found off the coast of New Jersey by a group of deep sea divers. I'm about a third of the way through the book, and it's gripping reading. Chapter by chapter, Kurson describes the dangerous details of wreck diving, the backgrounds of the individuals involved, their histories amongst each other, and the research necessary to help uncover the mystery that's over 230 feet below the surface of the Atlantic - all while carrying his readers along the journey of this incredible discovery. Two of the main divers, John Chatterton and Richard Kohler, can be seen on their History Channel series, "Deep Sea Detectives."

The second book (another non-fiction) is Tom Standage's "The History of the World in 6 Glasses." He approaches history in the light of six important libations (three alcoholic, three caffeinated) and their affect on civilizations. He starts with beer, then wine, and then on to spirits - describing how they were discovered or invented, and how each changed the course of history. He then picks up a glass of tea, continues with coffee, and then concludes with cola. I've soberly read the alcohol section and am ready to express my way through the caffeine chapters. The book starts off a little dry (no pun intended), and his constant usage of BCE and CE as historical tags are a bit forced. He short-changed the "spirits" section - he concentrates on brandy, rum and whiskey, but barely touches on rye and bourbon, and gives no mention of vodka, gin, tequila, saki, nor the monks of the Middles Ages. It's an interesting read, nonetheless.

The third book (more non-fiction) is the "The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales - for Lent." I'm a couple chapters behind on this one, but this 400-year-old compilation of instruction by this holy Saint is filled with nuggets of truth that gets savored in the mind. Good reading for this time of the season. I've underlined certain passages from his sermons on Faith and on Eternal Happiness. I'm sure I'll be doing more of that as I continue to read.

I've finally settled on a name for my guitar...

~ FABIENNE ~

She's long, tanned, curvaceous, sleek, sexy, and tempermental ~ like a French model.

She's a single-cut semi-hollow Canvas-CSC70 electric with a gorgeous brown sunburst maple body. Maple neck with rosewood fretboard and custom bow-tie mother-of-pearl position markers. And two black Alnico5 humbucker pickups with black hardware.

A picture of the model design can be found here.

A picture of the color of the model can be seen here.

After occasionally picking and plunking on her, I think I'll finally start taking real lessons sometime after I get my tax refund check.

Perusing recently bought CDs...

Had a $50 gift certificate from Amazon.com and decided to buy some CDs with it. Picked up an interesting collection of stuff. Nothing brand new, though.

I picked up Vertical Horizon's "Live Stages" CD which is a live performance before they made it big with their more rocking/electrified sound. They were a bit more of a folky duo before they broke out into the mainstream. It's an interesting collection, and their opening track ("The Man Who Would Be Santa") is an awesome tribute to Dad's everywhere. Other tunes of note are "On the Sea," "Falling Down," "Heart in Hand" and a 12-minute jam of "Wash Away."

I also bought Duncan Sheik's "Daylight" CD. It's really grown on me. I've always liked parts of his debut CD with the hit "Barely Breathing", and this one (his third release) is well done. "Good Morning," "Half Life," "Such Reveries," "Start Again" and "What's On Her Mind" are all great tracks. He does tend to be a bit too maudlin and self-absorbed with his occasional sparseness, though. Plus, politically he's an idiot (a frelling Noam Chomsky-ite fer cryin' out loud). But I'm able to overlook those shortcomings in order to enjoy some nice tunes.

Got Better Than Ezra's latest, "Before The Robots." I still need to listen to this one a few more times to make a judgement, but so far I'm a tad disappointed. They had two great first CDs ("Deluxe" and "Friction Baby"), but then somehow went off the rails. This fifth release gets them back on course, but barely so. I think they've lost their touch.

Art Garfunkle's "Everything Waits To Be Noticed" (from 2003) is a surprise. It's kinda like a long-lost Simon & Garfunkle record, and Art wrote some of the material (a first for him). His voice is angelic as ever, though his vocals sometimes get lost in the mix with two other singers. Perfect for those quite moments to relax and to dream.

I also had to get Steve Winwood's 1980 classic, "Arc of a Diver." Four great slices of music are on the CD: "Arc of a Diver," "Slowdown Sundown," "While You See A Chance," and "Night Train." Still holds up after 25 years, though that classic early-80s Prophet-5 keyboard sound is now a bit dated.

My brother sent me a copy of Burton Cummings' "Up Close and Alone" - a live CD from 1996, with just Burton and a piano. INCREDIBLE! This guy still has his chops, vocally. He performs some of his popular and a few obscure solo tunes, as well as the main hits from his former band, "The Guess Who." "Laughing," "Undo," "These Eyes," "Stand Tall," "Timeless Love"... it's a treasure-trove of one of the great rock voices of the 60s and 70s.

MARCH MADNESS TIME!!!!!!!!!

Okay... I've got my brackets finally filled out... How about you?

I have a couple first round toss-ups:

Georgetown vs. Northern Iowa
Seton Hall vs. Wichita State

The two “favorites’ in these games don’t impress me, especially against who they’re playing in the first round.

My 1st Round upsets:

#9 Bucknell over #8 Arkansas
#9 UAB over #8 Kentucky
#10 NC State over #7 Cal
#11 San Diego State over #6 Indiana
#12 Utah State over #5 Washington


MY SWEET 16 (* advances to Elite Eight):

*UConn beats Illinois
(UConn is too complete a team, here)
*North Carolina beats Tennessee
(Tennessee is playing waaaaaaay over their heads)

*Villanova beats Nevada!!!
(Nevada’s big man inside will knock off BC in 2nd Round)
*Florida beats Ohio State
(Florida is young, but has strong defense, while Ohio State has no perimeter shooting)

* Pitt beats Memphis
(Pitt is huge, and they have a deep bench, while Memphis is young with no perimeter shooting)
* Gonzaga beats Marquette
(by a fuzzy mustache whisker)

* Texas beats West Virginia
(Texas has big, big D; WVa is only a 2-man team that's scored above 71 pts only twice in last 15 games)
* LSU beats George Washington (or Duke beats LSU)
(LSU is young but with the best rebounding in nation, if they play GW. If Duke gets past GW in the 2nd Round, they’ll handle LSU)


My FINAL FOUR:

UConn vs Villanova
Pitt vs Duke/LSU


CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

VILLANOVA BEATS DUKE/LSU

Remember... you heard it here first!

Regarding all of this "The Duh!-Vinci Code" nuttiness...

I'm just waiting for the movie to come out, and then all the people who've read the novel and think it's "all just so believable, don't you know" will witness the flurry of convoluted ideas and conspiracies swirling around in their heads suddenly thrown right up there on the big screen for all to see. And it will appear so truly absurd (just like the film "National Treasure") that most people won't help but laugh and realize that the whole theory is nothing but a lame joke.

On immigration... (something Cardinal Mahony should review)

From Jimmy Akin:

The subject of immigration is heating up. With the presence of more than ten million people illegally in the United States--or three percent of the total population--many citizens are concerned enough that we seem to be building toward a breaking point on this subject.

As a result of all the news stories on this topic, I've had requests to explain the Church's teaching in this area.

Sometimes folks receive the impression that Church teaching requires essentially an open-border policy where people can come into a country with no restraints, but this is not true. If you read the actual Church documents on the subject, they contain important qualifiers that are often dropped out of the discussion when presented by some individuals.

Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say:

2241 The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.

Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants' duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.

I've highlighted three important qualifiers that are often dropped out in this discussion.

The first recognizes that there is a limit to the number of immigrants that a nation can absorb. Common sense tells you this: No nation can absorb an unlimited number of immigrants...

The second qualifier that I have highlighted recognizes the state's right to set legal requirements that must be met for immigration...

The third qualifier that I have highlighted reflects the duty of immigrants to respect the laws of the nation to which they are immigrating...

... Of course, what the Catechism has to say cannot in such a brief space represent all that moral theology would have to say about this topic.

For example, this passage of the Catechism does not mention another humanitarian endeavor that is incumbent on prosperous nations, which is teaching underdeveloped nations how to grow economically so that all of their citizens may benefit and not just the lucky few who can immigrate.

Since the latter humanitarian endeavor cures the problem at the source, it is the one that would be preferred by moral theology. Orderly, regulated immigration is a stopgap for cases in which this doesn't work, but the goal must be primarily to help other nations shake off the problems (such as corruption and legal barriers to starting and maintaining businesses) that keep their populations in poverty..."

Full details here.

What to make of the muslim cartoons and the rioting fallout...

There are three points of note about the whole mess:

1) When someone paid with federal tax money in the form of an "artistic" grant plops a crucifix into a jar of urine and calls it "art"... or if someone graffitis a swatstika on a jewish synagogue... you get appropriate righteous indignation and condemnation as a response. When a newspaper in Denmark publishes a mildly profane cartoon five months ago about Islam... you get riots, bombings, burnings, and calls for holy jihad.

2) Two wrongs don't make a right. Just because you can insult someone or enflame their passions doesn't mean you necessarily should do so, especially given the current situation in the world right now.

3) I'm not one to read the rag known as the L.A. Times, but this week there was an interesting article that put things in historical perspective. Below is in excerpt of note:

"Whatever the religious sensitivities involved, reactions such as these may strike you as threateningly — even viciously — irrational. That's because they are, and there's a reason.

"Back in the High Middle Ages, the three great monotheistic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — reached one of those fundamental forks in the historical road. For centuries, a series of Islamic scholars had preserved the works of Aristotle that one day would lay the foundations for the secular logic and science that have made the modern world possible. Their "rediscovery" by medieval scholars provoked a crisis. They recognized that reason was a powerful tool, but were fearful that using it would undermine faith, which was the basis for authority in all three communities.

"What to do — or, more precisely, how to think?

"Three intellectual giants rose to the challenge. Two of them — the philosopher and jurist Abu al-Walid Ibn Rushd, known to the West as Averroes, and the great rabbi and physician Moses Maimonides — actually were contemporaries, both born in the Spanish city of Cordova. Tradition has it they even met and befriended each other while on the run from the Almohads, Islamic fundamentalists from the Maghreb, who had captured Andalusia and destroyed its storied culture of tolerance. The third was Thomas Aquinas — of whom his admiring coreligionists one day would say, "He led reason captive into the house of faith." Recall that this was an age in which the literate West, not unlike today's Islamists, still regarded theology as "the queen of the sciences."

"Averroes' exposition of Aristotle was so widely admired and influential that when Aquinas took it up a century or so later at the University of Paris he referred to Aristotle simply as "the philosopher" and to Averroes as "the commentator." But while Maimonides and, later, Aquinas — who also read and admired the philosopher rabbi — held that there exists a single truth and that faith, properly understood, never can conflict with reason, Averroes took the other fork. He held that there were two truths — that of revelation and that of the natural world. There was no need to reconcile them because they were separate and distinct.

"It was a form of intellectual suicide and cut off much of the Islamic world from the centuries of scientific and political progress that followed."