Al Copeland lost his battle against cancer on March 23, 2008.  He was a true original, we’ll miss ya Al.

Forget about likes and dislikes. They are of no consequence. Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness but it is greatness. – George Bernard Shaw

I’ve always been in this camp.  Now we have this from John Coleman, a meteorologist and founder of The Weather Channel.  I don’t want to be narrow minded, but I’ve heard enough.  This issue is a dead letter in my book.  Carbon credits, carbon offsets – what a fucking joke.

A distinct flavor of my grandmother’s pasta fagioli ran over my taste buds today. Nobody made it like Gram. In fact, no one – no, not even my wife or mom – could cook like Angie, just ask Susan. Gram lived to the ripe old age of 95. I’m convinced it was her liberal -LIBERAL – use of olive oil. Her eggplant parmigiana was other worldly. I’m convinced she could give her meatball recipe to anyone but nobody could duplicate the way hers tasted. Oh yeah, and garlic. It could go into anything.

Susan and I lived with Angie for a few months when we came back up from Philly. I will never forget how she cursed the hours Susan worked. She’d sit by the front picture window and look for the bus to pull up to the bus stop. “Ah, va a Napoli” or some similar Italian expression she’d say as she shuffled off to get dinner on the table. Old fashioned, but her own woman.

She was literally one in a million. I miss you Gram.

Photo courtesy of Mahesh Hedge

Here’s a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story about a guy who discovered salt water can burn.  Apparently scientists believed this was impossible.

A guy names John Kanzius was tinkering with a radio-frequency generator he’d invented and stumbled upon the ability to burn salt water.  There is so much we know, but so much we don’t know.  This story is just another reminder to question that which is known and unknown.  You never know what answers you’ll uncover.

Just read a blurb about Cate Blanchett getting early Oscar buzz for her portrayal of Bob Dylan.  You read that right, actress portraying Dylan.  The flick isn’t out yet, I’m sure she does a fine job.

But I’m sick of portrayals being widely praised, to the point where the last 3 Oscars for Lead Actor and last 2 Oscars for Lead Actress went to people portraying some historical figure.  Idi Amin, Truman Capote, Ray Charles, Queen Elizabeth II and June Carter Cash.

Give me an Alonzo or Maximus any day.  That’s acting, creating a character out of whole cloth.  I appreciate biographical stuff, but the ultimate form of acting is creating a fantasy.  That’s why we typically see movies, escapism.  So let’s get back to honoring the actors that take us somewhere we’ve never been before.

Three years ago I wrote my thoughts on the a sort of endgame for the war on terror. I argued it would “end” (terror will always be with us, we’re human and that won’t change) sooner rather than later with a nuclear strike.

Well, there was a story out a day or two ago about the US military “losing track” of several ballistic missiles. I saw the headline, glanced at the article and moved on. Too much work, soccer practice planning etc. (gets back to my thoughts on “what was it like during…).

Today I read this observation in the Atlantic Free Press which tries to connect the dots a bit.  Are we positioning the weaponry at Barkdale for future use?  Let’s stay tuned.

The unquestioned life is not worth living – Socrates

This article by LA Times reported William Lobdell really resonated with me.  Among other things, it touches on a few of the areas connected to religious faith that I find troubling.

I just finished watching Deliver Us From Evil last week.  As a father of two sons and a daughter, I couldn’t help but be enraged watching the exchange with the father who’s daughter was molested by a priest.  The priest was a family friend and molested the man’s daughter on more than one occasion in the man’s own home.  Watch as the man says forget the term “molestation,” that sugar coats it.  His daughter, around 6 years old, was raped and sodomized by this monster.

It’s one bad apple you say, don’t let it spoil the bunch.  Then explain the behavior of the church going to unimaginable lengths to avoid rooting out this cancer and instead doing everything in its power to protect and shield these sick, twisted motherfuckers.

I’m crushing keys just thinking about this holy hell.  And this is how the church deals with its innocents, its children.  Not in my world.  Not then, not now, not ever.