One More Thing...

The word ignorance in my little credo isn't so much about education and book-learnin' (or grammar and punctuation). Instead, try out the definition of ignorance that means uninformed or unaware.

Words of the week: Feeding Tube

Well...it seems that (and I realize this is old news by now) just perhaps the Republicans have been playing a sick game of politics with Schiavo. Okay...at least one of them...House Majority Leader Tom Delay who, at present, is one of the leading voices behind returning the feeding tube to Terri.

Seems it's okay for his family to have the right to remove care from a loved one...just don't let it be someone else's family. This just seems so opportunistic on his part. Hell, I wouldn't even mention it if he were strong enough to go on record and say he was against what happened to his father. But he won't even talk about it at all. Why is that? Sure, you could say that it was a private family atter but his public stance is quite different now. At least tell us why. The LA Times had an interesting look at this story (including other instances of his playing ploitics and catering to big business.

And now the Pope...will he or won't he get put on a feeding tube? Seems some Italian press are hinting that may occur soon. How long can the Pope continue as head of the Holy See if he cannot speak? Does this call into question papal infallibility? If he becomes so incapacitated as to have no ability to speak or write does he become only a titular head?

I don't know. I'm not a Catholic, but I thought that the Pope (in theory) was Christ's vicar on earth. I also don't think he should resign. It makes the post too pedestrian. The Pope is a symbol that is larger than the man...but the man is important. I would be concerned with Cardinals jockeying for position (yeah I know that already happens) or actively working to undermine a healthy Pope in the hopes he would "retire." I admittely don't know enough about this stuff. Any help would be appreciated.

And I think I've reached my limit on the words feeding tube. Those two words paired together and in that order need to be banned for a while. However, it's going to get worse before it gets better....cause Terri will die and if the Pope is hooked up...the end of that phrase won't be any time soon.

Happy Easter

I'm not Catholic, but I think it's pretty cool that the Pope was there to give Mass this morning (or at least a blessing). From the photos I saw on the news, it's amazing the reactions he beings out of the Faithful.

In other news, try and catch a rerun of today's Meet the Press. Well worth your time if you have an interest in theology, politics, and Faith in America. There was more to it than that but Russert had 6 guests representing Protestants, Catholics, the media, Judaism, and Islam. Excellent and well-tempered talk. Check out the MTP site here, or the transcript here.

Happy Easter.

It's good to see that if you set a standard people will hold you to it. It has been correctly pointed out that "attempt" was spelled wrong in the title section of this space. Mistakes happen and I'm working without an editor here.

Did anyone see the Firefox extension similar to the Abe Vigoda status that instead keeps tabs on whether Terri Schiavo is alive or dead. Hell, I'm on the side of the husband and I find that to be poor taste. Get it here if it's your thing.

It's not just a city in NY...

One of my favorite words...and I share since is was part of a conversation from this past Saturday. Basically I was accused of making up a word and not pronouncing it correctly. So in my defense...

synecdoche:

A figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole (as hand for sailor), the whole for a part (as the law for police officer), the specific for the general (as cutthroat for assassin), the general for the specific (as thief for pickpocket), or the material for the thing made from it (as steel for sword)

Check the link and believe me when I say that it is pronounced similar to the word Schenectady (city and count in NY).

Spent Saturday in Tusla with some friends I really like. Good mix of differing opinions and beliefs. We did manage to get to the only store I know of that has a big selection of Kinder and Ritter-Sport products. The rest of the day was spend eating, shopping, and talking. Good time with good friends.

In response to one of the streams of conversations I wanted to provide a link to some facts and details about the Terri Schiavo case. I put it to you that, whether it it right or wrong, the husband Michael is not the enemy in this drama and seems to have taken measures to ensure his was not the only voice in the desire to remove Terri's feeding tube. He is is just the "face" that the opponents and the media have latched on to. Take a look at this reasonably impartial FAQ on the events surrounding the case and her condition.

I was on the side of the removal of the feeding tube before, but admit that I had lingering doubts about the motives of the husband. These have largely been assuaged after reading the linked page.

I do question the timing...why now and not three years earlier or later? Anyway...it mentions in the FAQ he's been offered millions to stop the process and restore the feeding tube but, "Michael lacks the power to undo the court order determining Terri's wishes and requiring the removal of her feeding tube. He did not make the decision and cannot unmake it. The court made the decision on Terri's behalf. Nonetheless, Michael apparently rejected each offer." This would seem to ovbiate the argument that he's only doing this to get to the settlement $$. That's another question...how much is even left after being under constant medical care for over a decade?

Happy Palm Sunday!!!

Final Word On Jackson - Hopefully

I posted this at another site and wanted to repost it here:

Re. Michael Jackson. This is about the most bandwidth I'm willing to spend on it. Not worth my time. I might be able to accept your legal interest Andrew but it's just another useless thing to fill the 24/7 news cycle. Becides - the media tried hard to make the Phil Specter and Robert Blake trials into some type of event and failed. When this is over they will find another pretty white girl, white pregnant woman, or some other heinous crime visited upon a photogenic white woman to fill the airways. The racial politics of the media industry (specifically when trying to sell the victim) and the manipulation of viewers is a crime in and of itself. I also don't get the gaggle of "friends and family" that come out of nowhere to spend time of talk shows. Is it just to be on tv? Most reputable news agencies don't pay for interviews. I'd like to think I would resist the urge if I were in a similar situation.

If Jackson is guilty, I feel sorry for the victims and would hope he gets put in the general population at a prison. If he's not guilty then I would feel at least a little sympathy for him in the sense that our society punishes the odd and misunderstood. Not that I condone what I see to be his lifestyle or inability to connect with reality.

I hope that to be the last post of mine on Jackson (at least until a verdict)...but I reserve the right to comment again.

Ev'rythin's up to date in Kansas City

The trip to was excellent. Just the right amount of time. And Vagabond...while frightened of everything...semmed to enjoy spending Saturday playing in my mother's backyard yapping athe the neighbor dogs.

Thanks to Peter and Kat for the recommendation of Jerusalem Cafe. We always need to expand my mother's horizons and that's not a place she would seek out. We'll definitely go back there.

Visited the Farmers Market in this downtown renaissace area - full of lofts. Went to the Steamship Arabia a Missouri riverboat that was dug up from a field in 1988. Most of its cargo was preserved and it's on display as a snapshot in time for settlers going west. Amazing. Alcohol and canned food still preserved in bottles. If you go to KC it's worth the trip but it's slightly overpriced.

Got a 512mb iShuffle as a belated Christmas gift. Perfect for a full day's music at work.

Witnessed a crime. Nothing spectacular...but a crime nonetheless. As I was loading the car on Sunday I heard tires screech and a crash. Looked up to see beat-up SUV rear-end a Taurus. The SVU the hit reverse...turned a corner and sped off...more tires screeching as it flet the scene. No...I didn't avail myself as a witness....not because I didn't want to...but because there were other witnesses that were closer and that were, most-likely, local.

Thanks to the inital comments. I take questions and requests. Thanks to Peter and Mike for the links on their sites.

Going to KC this weekend.

I'm looking for names of good restaurants. My mother does not get to pick this time. She's a KC native but we just don't agree on what constitutes a good restaurant.

Specifically looking for good stuff in the Waldo, Westport, Plaza, or Overland Park areas.

Thanks.

Everyone's a Critic

Wow. One day in and criticism already. Thanks Peter. To be fair he did provide a link and some words of encouragement.

The truth is that though I write for a living, it's a very different type of authorship. More structured. Here I'm self consciously trying to be off-the-cuff and it just doesn't really work.

Yet.

See there are plenty of blogs, monologues, diaries, etc. And I frequent a few so I'm having a hard time getting those out of my head and finding (for lack of a better phrase) my voice. Oh I used to write a lot back in high school and college. Bad poetry, plays, and short stories. Most of that stuff was trashed a long time ago.

My aim here in this venue is to practice. I don't open up too easily (which is the point Pete was trying to make, I think) so it will take time.

Comic Scholarship

This is mainly for Peter and Frank - the link to the online journal of critical scholarship on comics.

http://www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/volume1/issue2/

Be sure to check out issue one as well.

LR Weekend

So Jessica and I went to Little Rock this past weekend. She and Jen were planning a baby shower for JJ. Friday night - dinner with Wade and JJ. Saturday night we had the whole gang together. A nice Italian meal. Celebrating the announced pregnancy of Rich and Jen. I pulled out the bottle of port that Rich had given me as a wedding present. It seemed right to open and share it with everyone at this special occasion.

And it was good. Warre's 1987 Port. Very decadent and smooth.

There was some attempt to play Dance Dance Revolution 2 but I failed miserably.

The highlight for me was the chance to feel JJ's baby kick. Well...missed opportunity as it wouldn't perform...but it was the first time I'd felt a pregnant belly. Now I know this sounds naive but it was softer than I anticipated. Very moving. Due to the alcohol I blurted out to Jess that we needed to get one (baby).

I have since come to my senses.

In many ways this was a missed opportunity weekend. Aside from the group at dinner I didn't get to see any of my usual suspects. I'll make a better effort next month.

Killing Friends

So what does it take to kill a friendship? A single unkind word? Misinterpeted action? Philosophical differnces?

We're sad little people at times. Letting differences in politics, religion, and culture get in the way of savoring the limited time we're here. Don't get me wrong, I've ended friendships for weak reasons as well. Not my best moments...though it's easier to see the stupidity when others are doing it.

I've got some friends that used to be flatmates that now are on opposite ends of the political and religious spectrums. Oddly it seems that isn't the main reason why they've fallen out. It seems the issue is how one of them chooses to raise his child (or the environment that the child is in). Not going to get into the details. I too disagree with what I know about the envronment the child is in but no laws are being broken and it's not my place to get involved. It certainly isn't worth the loss of a friend and as I am not a parent, I find that my voice doesn't carry a lot of weight in theses things.