A day in the life.

8:00 am : Punch in at work and get to work processing 30 pages of paperwork for 4 different departments to schedule services for two families I met with yesterday.

 

8:30 am : Meeting to go over everyone's services, concerns, rants, and raves.

 

8:45 am : Leave to go to a families home from yesterday to get a signature from disabled mother.

 

9:45 am : Walk in family to review their property and other arrangements.

 

11:30 am : Walk in family that wants to sell their property.

 

11:45 to 11:55 am  Lunch

 

12:00 to 1:30 prepared 30 ages of paperwork for afternoon at need appointment, get interrupted 5 times with miscellaneous questions and walk in families at front

 

1:30 to 4:30  Meet with afternoon at need appointment, plan entire service with 5 kids and 3 grandchildren.  Get interrupted by a family in tears that I helped last month.  She just wanted to say 'thank you'.  Get back with family still unable to schedule services but field a muriad of unrelated questions while at the same time they are wondering why it takes so long.  Leave them very happy and with a few of them asking me to contact them about pre-arrangements.

 

All great nice families and it's a good day, wish I could have appreciated the family that came in to say thank you more.

Loss

Sailing in perfect conditions of the coast there was a little mishap on my boat.  I was bringing up the main on my cockpit winch (This is a turning device used for leverage on a sailboat) and a piece broke of the winch causing the heavy metal casing to pop off it's base and roll overboard plummeting instantly to the depths below momentarily only leaving behind a trail of bubble just visible from the surface on it's way down.  Lost!  Instantly the reality of what just happened enters my head and chest, the desire to dive in and try to retrieve this vital and expensive piece of equipment for a moment enters my mind but quickly fades as I realize the futility of such an act.

 

It's amazing how we react when we loose something, and how something so trivial as a piece of equipment on a sailboat can make us momentarily congure up that feeling of Grief.  Loosing someone you care for is likened to that feeling of dropping something over the side of the sailboat.  The memory is there and for a brief moment you can see the life leaving and the trail they left behind.  The desire to follow them is usually just at the surface, the only thing stopping them is the reality of that desire.

 

I don't mean to trivialize the loss of a loved, one or a piece of sailing equipment for that matter.  In the place of my winch still sits the post it was secured to a constant reminder that I wasn't able to save it in those few seconds that it came apart.  Eventually I'll take it off and plug the holes so I can make ready for the replacement of the piece, or maybe I'll leave the area blank as I have an alternative to raising the sail.  Don't know really but I know that eventually, although I may miss it I'll move on, a lot easier than when our daughter died but still in the same process.

Too much

I have too many thoughts lately to blog anything.  Contemplating what to write has sent me into a writer's block that I can't seem to get out of.  L8

What's the Harm

I've heard of this website before but just had the opportunity to explore it.  What's the Harm www.whatstheharm.net publishes articles about people who have been harmed or died as a result of believing in Religion, Life after Death, Pseudoscience, and any unproven faith based organizations.

 

It's well worth the read especially if you have someone trying to convince you that they got a new cure all for Happiness.

 

 

John Stewart Killed it

I hope all of you had an opportunity to watch the slaughter of CNBC and it's Mad Money host Jim Cramer last night.  John Stewart the self proclaimed "Clown of the Media Industry" exposed Jim and the majority of the CNBC pundits for their own rape of the American Investor.

 

John focused on the fact that "Experts" and the depth's of financial knowledge not only should have known that these junk investments were crap but should have investigated the companies that sold them.  Their duty as "Journalists" were to expose the companies that were out to defraud the investors, but instead continued to sell the Buy and Hold philosophy at the expense of the average American's 401k.

 

When Jim tried to defend himself as a consumer advocate only trying to make "Good Calls" John brought forth a homemade interview where Jim was touting the very practices of shorting and market manipulation that he was so vigorously condemning now.  Video after video 'Outed' Cramer showing that CNBC is no better than crooked politications lobbied by Corportate Donors just change the name of lobbiest to Advertisers, you don't even have to change the name of the Corporations, they are all the same crooks.

 

Catlina trip rocked

Pics to come:

 

I wanted to have more to write about this trip but all good sailing stories require bad weather to have a punch, unfortunately for this blog but fortunate for this weekend the weather was great for an end of winter weekend.  Even though things went smoothly we did have a few interesting things that came up.

 

On Friday March six we met early and took one car down to the boat, I had decied that I would take care of all food and expenses and the other guys, Edgar, Mark and Eric would just have to bring their drink of choice, clothes, sleeping bag, and toiletries.  This worked great and I immediately noticed that the threat they would have to sleep in their berth with whatever they brought with them kept the size of their bags small.

 

I can't remember the last time I went on an all guys trip, maybe boyscouts, don't know but what was most noticable right from the beginning is how quickly and easily everyone worked toward accomplishing any task.  Instructions were followed easily and quickly and most things needed no instruction at all, it was simply done, in no time the 150 lbs of food, booze, beer and necessities were loaded and stowed aboard and we shoved off out of the slip.

 

The weather had a small craft warning due to uncertain weather south of Long Beach, even though the WS only predicted 10 to 15 with gusts of 20 it was the short swells that keyed off the warning.  Due to this and a slightly unusual wind angle I decided to take a little extra time to tack up to San Pedro.  On the way we practiced a few man overboard drills that didn't make me feel entirely confident but enough to allow Eric to take the tiller for most of the time.  On one of the last tacks in strong wind I instructed Eric and Mark to grind in the Genoa tight to get it as flat as possible and before it even reached the spreaders it gave away and split in two pieces.  It was a great drill in being calm and making decisions while giving clear instructions, we made short work of getting the roller furling mechanism down and a new jib up and sheets run.  It all went down with the tall ship Irvin Johnson watching as we had just made a tack past them, they even hailed us on the radio to make sure everyone was ok.

 

The swells were running at 2 to 5 secons and 2.5 feet, short and steep but Knotabus handled them well and Eric did a fine job at the tiller. Edgar did not and we didn't notice him turning white until the 2nd accidental man overboard drill when a hat went over and he got jolted up from where he laid, the next stop for him was the head, I told him next time over the side.  After about 4 hours we reached Catalina about central Island and tacked up to get to the Isthimus, with wind and sun leaving us I gave in and fired up the motor to get us into harbor.

 

After scurrying around for a mooring and paying the fees we broke out the first meal, pork steaks, baked potatoes, and carrots.  The new Magma BBQ worked good and my Mother In Law's suggestion of using a dutch oven to warm the potatoes and carrots on the stove was perfet and fast.  We followed dinner with a few rounds of Mexican Train Dominoes but tired after a long day of sailing eating and drinking we all turned in pretty early.

 

Saturday morning after everyone woke we got the raft inflated with the power pump on the boat, as it was finished a guy from a neighboring boat in a Sevlor inflatabl kayak offered to give anyone a ride in that wanted to go to shore first.  I opted for the ride to check out the area and take the proverbial 'dump' on shore as to not fill up and stink up the boat.  After getting back made Chorizo and Egg burritos, again cooking and cleaning went smoothly with everyone's participation or simply staying out of the way.

 

We filled the day with exploring the Island, Hiking, putting down the beers, and an afternoon nap as I attempted to fish.  Mark attempted a swim but was back out of the water within a minute complaining of the cold inspite of his shorty wetsuit.  Dinner we had at the bar on the island and I'm pretty sure I had the best Hamburger ever, and it was only $9.00.  Couple of drinks and pool and headed back for Dominoes, another early night after a long day.

 

I didn't even get a bite.  The next day we left while cooking Braughtworst on the Magma hanging off the aft life rails, and I dragging two lines trying to get a bite near Bird Island.  The wind was dead and clouds to the east, clear skys to to the west indicated we were running along a front of conflicting systems destroying any chance of decent wind.  The motor ran too long on the way home and when it didn't the pace was slow and I found time to do some maintenance and even make some 'how to' videos for the famundo where the partners on the boat communicate. 

 

Getting home took longer because we stopped up in Cabrillo marina to fill the tank before heading the last 8 miles back down to Long Beach, this little excursion added 2.5 hours to the trip so getting to dock took almost 7 hours.  The last short leg we tried to race a 40 footer downsind, and lost.  We got the boat ready to be put away and all our stuff together before getting into harbor so within a few minutes of getting in we had the boat closed up and washed down so we could load the car.

 

At the end of the weekend my biggest epiphany, Men work much better together than I've seen women, but there's one thing a group of women do better than men.....  Be naked together!

 

 

The Crash

Today in our turbulent Economic times many are searching for the bottom of the never-ending slide of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.  Some are comparing our current economic problems to the great depression, most still believe that our government has the ability to prevent a repeat of those times.  Mostly I think people mistake the 'Crash' of the stock market of 1929 as a Single event that decimated the marketplace, this notion is not only entirely untrue it's dangerous to use as a gauge in our current situation.

 

In August 1929 the Stock Market hit it's peak, it wasn't until July 1932 that the stock market found it's footing and grabbed hold.  Matter of fact the fall was slow and painful with many rallies and market corrections along the way.  The reason this is dangerous is that those same market corrections and opportunities to re-enter the market persist today as investors attempt to find the bottom. 

 

Today the market fell to less than 47% of it's highest value on October 2007 14 months earlier, this percentage of overall decrease has not been seen since December 1930 when the Dow retraced from it's hi at 47% 14 months from it's high.  The Dow continued it's decent into oblivion until the before mentioned July 1932 when it reached just 12% of it's previous value, banks and manufacturing jobs were lost, consumers retracted their spending, and the few companies left raised prices in a less competitive landscape to make a profit and stay in business.  Rampant inflation took hold and what people did spend was reduced to the absolute necessities further debilitating the economy.  All this and we didn't even have a war machine going on to hold up the economy.

 

Be wary friends we could have a long way to go.

 

 

Givers

I listened to a podcast www.furledsails.com last night where they interviewed a couple Dave Zeiger and Anke Wagner their cruising experiences in Alaska. The couple spend 9/10 of the year at sea living on wild grown plants, fish, and seaweed they buy few grocery store products and have a food budget of only $1,000 per year. Their sailing craft was built out of plywood and coated in copper and biodegradable paints, when they die at sea everything about what they do will simply be consumed and reused by the earth.

In the book "Ishmael" they discuss the idea of takers and givers. If you haven't read the book I don't want to take anything away, just that you should read it. In the book it outlines the fact that Humans give nothing back after their life, their lifestyles consume at the burden of all other living things on the planet. At the end Humans don't even donate their flesh back to the earth, selfishly they burn their flesh or bury it in concrete boxes to 'Protect' it from the bugs and planetary recycling system. Take everything and give nothing back.

Animals, plants and all other species on the planet are there to protect their planet and provide through "Consumption Recycling" and or their own death to provide a balance that protects and ensure the future. In the end they leave this planet and donate their bones and flesh back to it to support the smallest of creatures which in turn ensure vibrant healthy soil for plants, which provide food for animals, which provide meat for carnivours, which in turn die and provide food for the earth.

Humans truly 'takers' of the planets resources giving nothing back. The perfect example of this is the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" which is a grouping of floating trash in two sections of the Pacific estimated to be larger than the continental United States is further decaying the fabric of our oceans. Unseen it's not even visible on Google Earth and receives little media attention. Maybe it's not even there.

Recently two men sailed on a pile of trash lashed together with the cockpit of a smal Cessna Airplane to Hawaii to bring further interest to the area but few noticed. Bloggers and other people have tried to shed light on it, but no one is offering any solutions. I have a solution.

I believe it's time for environmentalists to creat their own nation. Self serving, self governing and self aware. LIke the men in the raft an area of floating trash lashed together, topsoiled and turned into a small floating continent. Although it would continually spin at a very slow rate it would hardly move. The rolling of the nation would be unnoticed after some time and the mild weather of that region would provide a wonderfull area for sustainable crops. Certainly no exports or imports could be allowed because in order to be truly a giver the floating island should only support the basic necessities and that which it could not provide on it's own should not survive.

Population could not explode because food and fresh water would be limited. Electricity could only be used that could be generated by wind, sun or current but most of that may need to be used to generate water. All things must be gathered from itself. Excrement should be used to creat soil with shreaded plastic (possible), burials should be done in the created land. Fishing should be done to sustain only the population on the land, and shelters should be created from the trash basis. Government will be needed with a strong constitution not singling out Human life as the priority but the sustainability of the land as the priority. When we no longer value human life over that of the land our decisions will change.

Why higher learing is as corrupt as politics.

Get a degree!

 

It's getting more and more crucial that you get a degree to get a decent job.  Even in the direct sales market it's becoming a requirement of many companies that applicants have a bachelors and some require a masters degree in order to be considered.  On my recent job hunt a position that truly interested me with GE required a masters degree to be even considered, mind you no experience in sales was required, just the masters degree.  Master's degree in WHAT?

 

I postulated maybe a masters in engineering as the position was an industrial equipment sales position and I could see how an engineering degree would be beneficial. Nope.  Maybe Masters in Psychology, after all sales is psychological more than anything else, will over instinct, leading questions and discerning a persons true interest?  Nope.  Mind you any of these specialty degrees would earn an excellent income in their respective fields, so why would you put yourself into a sales position?

 

Actually the ad did not distinguish the type of Masters degree needed, just simply that you had one.  Indicating that the true desire of companies is that you have completed higher education simply to weed through the pack regardless of the value or even the relevance of that education.  I guess a masters in art would prove just as valuable to the position of Industrial Cleaning Products specific to the Automotive Manufacturing Industry, that makes tons of sense.

 

I guess that's what brings me to my real point.  The value of that degree.  My wife has recently taken on the challenge of becoming a teacher and has completed her first year of school and onto the second, I'm very proud of her.  The first year she spent at University of Phoenix, sold on the idea of flexibility of schedule and expedited degree we ignored the outrageous price tag in favor of time.  Besides after rashioning out the expense of books travel etc... it seemed like a good idea.

 

Replacing in class time came at a cost, 3 500 to 1500 word essays per week with only two classes.  Resources were specified web pages and on your own studies but could not include some websites, like Wikipedia.  By the end of the first year she was so burnt out she decided to take classes at our local city college and take advantage of the transferability of her credits she was PROMISED by U of P.  Basically after working with the new college and going through the transcripts we spent 10k on Electives, I don't know how History, English, Education, and Computer classes are electives but when you're talking about money each college really just values their own curriculum.

 

And they don't stop there, her philosophy class takes the cake.  She told me today that she won't be able to recoup the $140.00 cost of the book she bought for philosophy by selling it.  "Why?"  I asked.  Well the Professor makes it part of the grade that you use all the white space in the book for personal ideas thoughts and suggestions, "Write everywhere, your grade requires it."  The next obvious question asked "What does this guy get a kickback from the publisher?"  He's the author it turns out.  OF PHILOSOPHY.  I have a deep ethical objection to a teacher of philosophy teaching their own book on the subject to begin with, the basis of philosophy to me has always been to question everything, therefore it's not possible to teach a subject on a book you wrote as there's no one to question the text, not to mention the purely greedy requirement of destroying the book to increase his own sales. 

 

Get a degree!  It won't make you smarter but it'll make your life easier.

 

 

 

 

The downside of California's Beautifull Weather

It might be easier to be a sailor in Maine.  Driving into to work today the December 31st weather reporet was reading clear skies, sunny, and 70 degrees at the coast.  Right now my boat is bathing in the sun begging for a captain to cast off her lines to show her prowess on the open ocean, and I her captain am reguiled to grind out the paycheck to afford those weekends off. 

 

Sitting at work knowing that the weather outside was bleak cold and miserable might allow me to consentrate on work, knowing that spring will be here soon,  extra money and time off for long gunkholing trips will be the goal of the day.  That time spent on the boat now will be repairing and preparing for those long sunfilled days cruising to the furthest destination the wind will allow.

 

Of course, it is California, and today like all the rest the waters will be filled with those lucky souls who have found a way out of the rat race and no longer need to work to fulfill their dreams, maybe it's those I truly envy.

Ping Pong

My parents got my son the gift of Ping Pong this year.  Which is great since most of his activities closer resemble the sport of Pong rather than anything outside.  But more importantly I think the gift is one that will be shared by the entire house.  A ping pong table has the capability of allowing people from all skill levels play and go OUTSIDE For a while.  I'm looking forward to playing but since it's outside I need to get it to stop raining.

 

 

Death walk

Youth gives you the liberty to put aside many critical decisions to a later time, retirment, health, money, and ultimately death.  I seem to be creaping up on the idea of retirment and concern of the money to fund it is critical, health also seems to be reaching in as aches and pains take longer to heal and some persist indefinetely.  I have thought that my profession helps me realize the death question in a more real capacity than most as I see it on a daily basis.  But everything changes when faced with your own death.

 

I many times wonder, if given the chance, what will be my thoughts laying in bed knowing that death is creaping in from my extremities to take away that last breath.  Will I hold true to my "one person, one life, one chance" aetheist perspective, be solemnly but gleefully reflective on the life that I lived? Or will the natural human instinct of self preservation win out and when faced with the reality there's nothing left to be done on this earth will hopes of an eternal existence of second chance win out?  Will the childhood teachings of Christianity and a life of continued learning offer a different perspective on death than the one I hold now?  That is, if given the chance.

 

I've envisioned many a times the death walk in my life.  I've seen myself leaving to walk aimlessly the country, homeless, and unguided.  My current vision alone in a sailboat on the open ocean is not indifferent from the one seen in the back of my mind my entire life.  The knowledge that death is imminent that time here must end and taking the time one last chance to take it in, dying earlier than the hospital bed, but on my own terms.  Selfish vision as it were, no accounting for family and friends that would like just a nother year, month, day or hour with someone they care for. 

 

I think this is why people ultimately take the drugs, go in for surgery, and put up with chemo.  That look in their loved ones eyes, that glare of want, of hope that you'll be around for a little longer, without that I believe most people would allow their death to come on with less of a fight.  In this I struggle, of course I as we all would hope to have family and friends that love us enough to want us around, but there's that vision, one I've had all my life, that final adventure, intended not end but continue on forever.

Nightmare Before Christmas

I'm pretty proud of this creation. In adding to my Nightmare Before Christmas theme for halloween and Christmas I built Ooogie Boogie this weekend.

He's constructed of a PVC skeleton, and real cotton Burlap. I custom shaped a face structure out of florist foam sealed it and put it behind the Burlap. Finally he's filled with 14 cubic feet of packing peanuts and sprayed with a florescent spray paint.

In case you forgot what the others looked like:

See a Knock Down

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1439819533/bctid2764360001

 

sailing, knock down, volvo ocean race, open 60 sixty

Sounds Familiar

I give the guy on craigslist credit but he didn't leave a name and the link won't be good in a couple of days but this is sooo true:

 

The Envelope

"Dear Captain" the invoice from the marina was
addressed. "Our records show ... ".

"Shit" you screamed. "fxxking sailboat, I hate the thing",

As you toss the bill into the basket, you look around,
your studio apartment is a mess, in the corner, hanging from
a nail on the wall, the photo taken the day you purchased
the "fxxking sailboat" has become faded.

How did this happen, you ask yourself.
You close your eyes, calm down, and think back
to that day, not so long ago, the day you bought her,
the "sailboat". You danced a jig, as you
laughed with all the guys at the Tap. "I'm setting
sail for the Bahama's you bloody land ludders" you
told them.

The following day, how could you forget that day,
as you drove to the marina, you remember
telling your wife "Honey, we can sail her to the islands,
or around the world." "The previous owner told me that a German
sailor took his all the way to Fiji".

"Climb aboard, let's take her for a sail"
you said as your wife threw her carry bag
onto the foredeck.

A few minutes later, as your wife laid out
her beach towel she told you "I feel weird,
maybe a little sick".

"Don't worry, dear, that happens the first time out"
you happily responded as you dropped the mooring lines,
pulled the fenders, and unfurled the sails.

Your new sailboat jumped forward, her rail down, she was
heeled over so far that water was spashing into the
cockpit.

"What the hell is going on" your wife screamed. "The boat is
on its side, we are going to die".

"That is what sailboats do" you calmly told her.

Then; she puked, and started crying.

"Take me back to shore, if you don't take me back right
now I am calling the police" she moaned as she grabbed for
her cell phone.

As you released the halyards, the sails dropped,
the sailboat stopped dead in the water, but the engine
would not start.

"Help me, my husband is trying to kill me" she howled into
the cell phone. "I am on his new sailboat, we are adrift,
the engine won't start, please save me" ..

After $400 dollars was paid to the Seatow
operator, and your sailboat was secured to the dock,
she stormed off. The last you saw of her, that is
until that day in court, the day of your divorce,
was the back of her head as she sped away in the car.

And now every month the marina bill arrives,
a painful reminder that the "sailboat" is still
docked at the "Really Expensive Marina" on
Yachting road.

The For Sale sign hasn't worked, and you are tired of
receiving email from Nigeria, so why not cut the mooring
lines, let her go. So what if you spent thousands on
the new engine, the new standing rigging, all that cruising
gear. If you continue to own her, she will bankrupt you.

If this story is "your" story, I may be able to help.
I am looking for a 26-32 foot sailboat. If
The Envelope with the Dear Captain greetings has
finally convinced you that it is time to cut the
mooring lines, and let her go, just get rid of the
sailboat, stop the bleeding, why not offer up the
boat for FREE.

I'm just a guy looking to go cruising,
willing to take the boat off your
hands. Soon, you will be telling your story
at the Tap, how the boat cost you so much money,
how your wife divorced you, and all the guys will
be doubled over. "Let this be a lesson to you guys"
you will say as another free beer is slid down the bar
in your direction.

 

Hope he is successfull that  poem deserves something.

Electoral College what it means to the little guy

We've all seen the maps, Blue or Red and sometimes we may feel like we are in the wrong state by the color on a map. Recently a good friend of mine sent me this website http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/2008/ the writer displays the popular votes in Cartograms reflecting how the states are more favorably weighted based on Demographics. He makes a lot of great points about the weighting of states and does his best to show the bias of the polls reflected in his Cartograms.

Obviously the electoral is supposed to provide an equal playing field to the country. It might be simpler to go with the popular vote, of course that was the argument back when Gore lost out to the electoral in 2000, but the electorates are set up by politicians to help ensure incumbenancy IMO (In My Opinion). Here is the county map from this website that shows the voting from Mark Newman's Blog.



Now here is a map of what the population demographic looks like at night.



So I overlayed them so you can get a view of what the world really looks like.



California Has 55 Electoral Votes and a population of 36,457,549.

Idaho for example has 5 Electoral Votes (10% of CA) and a population of 1,293,953. (Only 3.5% of CA's population). This rather gives Idaho a greater impact in the Electoral that California based purely on the % of population in the state.

Now that's a different look on the same information, be carefull what you read, investigate before making decisions.

FW: prop 8 petition

I promise that this is the last political email you will get from me till next election :).  But if you feel as I do that discrimination does not belong in our laws please take a moment to sign the attached petition.  Regardless of your personal beliefs about marriage we live in a country that allows a basis for all beliefs. 

 

 Subject: prop 8 petition

 

Sign this petition so we can re-open prop 8... and take back our rights...

http://www. petitiononline. com/seg5130/petition. html


do it if you are 18+ and repost this

 

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Something to think about it

Here's an excerpt from self-portrait in the present sea.

 

When CHIDIOCK TICHBORNE struck something and pitch-poled in the South Pacific in 1980, resulting in my being adrift for two weeks and three hundred miles in a 9’ inflatable dinghy before reaching land, I wrote that life can change in the passing of a single wave, which later became the title of one of my books.

I have recently been reminded that this is the way life usually changes:  quickly and with little warning.

It took me a long time to recover fully after sinking RESURGAM, more than a year, perhaps two; and for a while I took pleasure in simply being alive; but gradually and naturally I began to take life for granted.  Recently I’ve realized anew how difficult it is to do something unusual in life, such as sailing alone around the world, and to cherish happiness, which is fragile and can be lost in an instant.

A fascinating blog about sailing, life and the beauty that comes withit.   Here's the feed if you like it http://inthepresentsea.com/blog/feed/

Tim

 

FW: It's Over The conversation

From: Tim E

It's Over
Now maybe it's time to reach down and show support for our new president just as you asked to show support for Bush. Whether or not you believe anyone listened to you it's your responsibility to heed your own words.

We had an interesting divide in California. On the one hand we overwhelmingly helped elected our first black president showing that one prejudice has been deeply subsided, while on the other hand it looks like we will write another form of discrimination into our states constitution. When we learn to stop hating people for the way they are born and love them for the way they were created we will have truly advanced as a civilization, the race for that is tightening but this fight is not over and will rear it's head again.

AOL Search: Your one stop for directions, recipes and all other Holiday needs. Search Now.

From: EJS
Tim, you show your own prejudice in your call to show support.

Obama wins in "landslide" winning 52% of the national vote, yet the VERY SAME 52% of the vote in California to overturn a 4-3 vote by liberal judges in May that instituted "rights" never before held in the history of the state is discrimination?

Typical liberal dogma...

From: Tim E

I don't see how a call for support shows prejudice, and I don't see how popularity is ever an excuse for it.

The Yes on 8 folks won, as they won when it was 22. The difference is the margin, the race is tightening at least that's positive.

Furthermore there was a time when you could be hung in this country for being a Quaker, Exhiled for being an Evangelical, and in some place required to pray as a Puritan. How easily it is to loose control of the popular religion. However you translate the Bill of Rights, no one would want their personal beliefs trampled on that, I believe, is the fundamental purpose behind those rights.

From: Alan M
Tim

While the No on Prop 8 people would have you believe the change was over rights, they were dead wrong and they had purposely tried to obfuscate the purpose of the amendment. Gays in California enjoy every right that every other individual in the state enjoys. They can receive in heritance from a partner, share property, share medical benefits, etc. What right did they loose? Marriage is a union established by the church between and man, a woman and god. While government has gotten in and used marriage as a litmus test for a desire to share property, true marriage is defined by the church.

Prop 8 is a move to preserve that union. Any other union is something else and should not be called marriage. Whether Life Partner, significant other, or otherwise, these relationships are not marriage! To have a judge declare they are, is both wrong and not a separation of church and state.

Gays are not being persecuted as the “No on 8” people would have you believe, the Yes on 8 people are trying to preserve the holy relationship of marriage. There are also other implications of this amendments and I believe they relate to what society considers normal moral behavior. While I do not hate gay people, I do not believe that what they do is normal behavior and do not want to see our laws mandate that it is normal. By defining this as normal behavior in our laws it can limit the rights of those who do believe in marriage between a man and woman. So I guess to a large part my vote was to preserve my rights.

From: Tim E

Those are excellent points and I agree with you on all your religious points. That is exactly my point, Yes on 8 was asking the State to interfere with Religion naming one belief as the only belief.

What about the Unitarians, Platonists and other religions that don't believe the same?

Should they be told that their beliefs are wrong by the Constitution, State, or otherwise?

Shouldn't the burden of Holy Matromony be placed on the couple being married and their own faith by their own God?

The issue is a "rights" issue because I believe that all people should have every right this country holds, and one of those fundamental rights is religion. People think because I am an Aetheist I don't have religion, but the same rights that you have, protects my rights to believe as I do. We all have our reasons for believing them even if they only differ by a couple of opinions of a couple of verses in the same book.

I was a Christian for most of my life, I have asked Jesus into my life twice, and it may surprise you that I have read the bible all the way through several times. I don't think even as a Christian I would be on a different side on this point than I am now. Not once did I see Jesus persecute the people who did not agree with him, not once did he wish validation from the state for his own beliefs.

Tim

Al, I love your replies they are concise meaningfull and argue strong points and we know we won't be changing each other's minds it's OK.

From Alan M.

Tim

I am not sure what you agree with me on.

God instituted the first marriage in the Garden of Eden when he gave Eve to Adam as a wife (Genesis 2:18-25). Later marriages were to follow the pattern of the first is indicated by the concluding divine instruction in Matthew 19:4-6. This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). A unique unity between Adam and Eve was seen in that the two became “one flesh”. The oneness of marriage separated the couple from others as a distinct family unit.

Because God instituted it, marriage is more than just a ceremony. Biblical passages showing that the marriage relationship is based on a covenant or oath sworn before God are Proverbs 2:17, Ezekiel 16:8, 59-62, Hosea2:16-20, Malachi 2:14, Matthew 19:6. Any violation of that covenant invites God’s judgment.

Marriage is God’s unique gift to provide intimate companionship, a means for procreation, and the channel for sexual expression according to biblical standards.

Homosexuality, on the other hand is a sin that results in judgment. The first mention of homosexuality in the Bible depicts God’s judgment upon it as sin. It was the outstanding transgression of Sodom and Gomorrah. The severity of the judgment, which came because of homosexuality, indicates the seriousness of this sin (Genesis 19:1-11). Both cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone (19:24). Depending upon the translation of the Bible you read in 2 Peter 2:6 NT states that these two cities were turned to ashes as a matter of God’s holy wrath, specifically because their inhabitants had given themselves to sexual immorality and practiced perversions. Genesis 19:5 outlines when the male angels came to rescue Lot and his family, the men of Sodom wanted to have Lot send out the Angels so they could have sex with them, Lot offered his daughters, but the angles took care of the situation themselves.

Bottom line is that homosexuality is an act, a sin; it does not qualify for minority status any more that adulterers, rapist, murders, or any other group of people who commit immoral acts.

While I worship a loving God, unrepentant acts of sin are repudiated by God and will find God’s judgment. It is not for me to judge them, only to pray for them. That said, I can not condone their behavior or have them define it as normal or acceptable in the eyes of the law.

Sorry for all the references, but I feel strongly on this topic as you can easily tell.

Al

From: Tim E

You're making my point.

I agree that the Bible does not allow for gay marriage, it doesn't, it's pretty clear....

The constitution however, especially the states did not define it that way.

That is the point, as much as you want to believe that this country was meant to be a Christian nation our forefather's made freedom from any religion very clear so that religions and beliefs may flourish. It was developed by men of many faiths, many who didn't agree with each other, this fundamental discussion gave freedom to all. In my humble opinion.

It's Over

 

Now maybe it's time to reach down and show support for our new president just as you asked to show support for Bush.  Whether or not you believe anyone listened to you it's your responsibility to heed your own words.

 

We had an interesting divide in California.  On the one hand we overwhelmingly helped elected our first black president showing that one prejudice has been deeply subsided, while on the other hand it looks like we will write another form of discrimination into our states constitution.  When we learn to stop hating people for the way they are born and love them for the way they were created we will have truly advanced as a civilization, the race for that is tightening but this fight is not over and will rear it's head again.

 

Tim

 

 

The Handshake

Recently someone asked me "Whatever happened to the good ol' handshake?" when referring to a business agreement.  It began me thinking about why the handshake has lost it's meaning as a pact between two men, and when this diminishing value began to occur.

 

1st we must go back to the believed origin of the handshake, commonly it's thought that it began in Medieval England between Knights and Kings.  Each would display outwardly their open empty hands to show that they present no concealed weapons and mean no harm to one another, they would then grasp each other's hands in a showing of agreement.  What's left out of this common story, or so often not told, is that if one of the two later felt harmed then the result may be a duel, war, and death.  The handshake was backed up every time by the possibility of death, that's a strong agreement!

 

At least in America, duel's lost their approval in the 1800's.  Laws were enacted so that gentlemen wouldn't kill each other over a business agreement and instead people started to fight their battles in court.  Today the courtroom is the battleground where two men duel over a broken agreement, and of course since now there are third parties around the more proof that there even was an agreement becomes evidently important.

 

Makes sense, I don't think I've ever seen a lawyer shake hands in court.  No good lawyer would ever show up to court without a concealed weapon.

 

Tim

To the Freedom Loving Americans

Dear Friends,

I want to speak to you about an upcoming vote that effects the very fabric of our everyday lives. It's probably more important than the presidential election as this has immediate and long reaching effects. It won't effect your income, but could very well effect your freedom.

I am speaking of course of the upcoming measure to change the state of California's constitution to make Gay Marriage illegal. I've heard both arguments and will attempt to outline them here.

The group for the bill would limit the right to marriage statewide to only a man and a woman. They state that Marriage is a holy union between a man and woman under the geise of God and should not be permitted any other way. They've also stated that if the state does not recognize this their church's are open to loosing their tax exemption or even getting sued for being prejudice if they prevented a gay couple from being married in their church.

The group against the bill would want the State's Constitution to remain in tact which the court has already ruled does not exclude same gender couples from marriage. They argue that 1. the law is already in place. 2. Their beliefs allow them to be married under the geise of God, man and State. 3. Their marriage does not interfere in any way the holy sanctimony of any other beliefs.

If I understand them correctly those are the two arguments. 1st the idea that a church would loose it's tax exemption or get sued for discrimination is false in my opinion. Church's have enjoyed the priveledge of exclusivity and discrimination for millenia. Even today you cannot get married in a Jewish temple without become Jewish (Discrimination), You cannot get remarried in the Catholic Church (Without Pennance and Money). They've stated that the problem is imminent although there has yet to be even on lawsuit filed against any church for failure to marry anyone who doesn't fall within the beliefs of the church.

May I voice another argument that I don't hear and believe we should hear. Can I get a vote for America? Not for your religion, or mine, or someone elses. Can I simply get a vote that won't be the beginning of limiting yours, mine and everyone's FREEDOM. Because it's the right to be free that makes us American's the right to be Budhist, Muslim, Christian, Scientologist, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, or even Non-Theist. It's the reason our Purist settlers came to this country (Start slinging false history accusations NOW). It's the reason we've fought for democracy throughout the world, so that in places like Afghanastan a Woman can walk the streets without her face covered if she is not Sunni. It's freedom this fundamental freedom that allowed our founding fathers to be from many different religions and not just puritan.

I'm asking that on November 4th when you step into that booth to allow your Religion to guide you remembering that the balance of power of Religions in countries have changed throughout history and vote for your FREEDOM and vote for AMERICA.

Vote no on Proposition 8

Please forward this to all FREEDOM LOVING AMERICANS

Timothy J Ehrlich

Oh yeah and if anyone has more info on the energy bill i'd like to know about it because i think it will create a crapload of needed jobs.