An example of ignorance

This story makes me so very angry. This is ignorance in its purest form. Where is the Christian sense of compassion for the families of these men and women? What happened to "only God can judge me"? This is why I have a huge problem with organized religion. People don't take the time to learn about their own faith and just follow someone and take on their beliefs. Find your own beliefs and make your own decisions based on education, not on what someone else tells you. I hope these people get their own special place in hell.


BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals in the belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

A member of Westboro Baptist Church protests outside a veteran's hospital in Maywood, Illinois, in April 2006.

Albert Snyder of York, Pennsylvania, sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.
The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned later in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.
U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted the size of the award for compensating damages "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court.
Church members routinely picket funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."
A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and Congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries.
But the Maryland lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.
The church and three of its leaders -- the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46 -- were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress.
Snyder claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.
The church members testified they are following their religious beliefs by spreading the message that the deaths of soldiers are due to the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.
Their attorneys argued in closing statements Tuesday that the burial was a public event and that even abhorrent points of view are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.
The judge said the church's financial statements, sealed earlier, could be released to the plaintiffs.
Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse.
Church founder Fred Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while Shirley Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag and carried a sign that read "God hates fag enablers."
Members of the group sang "God Hates America" to the tune of "God Bless America."
Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict, while members of the church greeted the news with tightlipped smiles. E-mail to a friend

The Faux World

Remember when the very first Real World came out on MTV? It really was seven strangers picked to live in a house and we got to watch the fallout. They all had their own goals and aspirations and were pursuing their own separate identities. That is what made it such a compelling show. The first three seasons of the Real World were so groundbreaking. We saw people from all different walks of life come to together and try to get along. Unless your name was Puck and you liked to piss people off by sticking your booger encrusted hand into their jar of peanut butter. People fought because they knew who they were and what they believed in. There were dancers, actors, writers, artists, med students, political activists, Christians, and comics. They made us laugh and they made us cry. They changed the way that people of my generation thought and gave us a face for AIDS.

Now the show seems to be the same cookie cutter script from year to year. The only thing that changes is the venue. Gone are the days of 20-somethings making their way in the world. Here are the days of drunken frat boys and slutty sorority girls working at a job no one gives a shit about and getting drunk every night in the "hottest" club in town. These are the people that I avoid like the plague in my own town (and sadly enough they very recently completed a season in my town). Now they are glorified on television for every preteen to want to be. How sad is that? MTV went from being the voice of my generation, to the embarrassment of the next. Pathetic.

Phobias

I have found that as I get older the more fear I have for things. I can remember being a kid and being scared of the normal monsters in the closet/under the bed or not wanting to be in the dark. I also had this weird obsessive fear of being kidnapped. I was PETRIFIED of "kidnapper vans". You know, those work vans with no windows. I ahve no idea where that came from, but everytime I saw one of those vans I would freak out.

Now as I get older I am scared of the stupidest shit. For example, I recently got a bicycle. I haven't been on a bike since I was 15 or 16, so it's been a few years. I got on it and started to ride down the street and proceeded to panic. I was going to fast, I would fall over when I tried to turn, I would go ass up if I hit the brakes too hard, get me the hell off this death contraption. Seriously. What the fuck is wrong with me?

A couple weeks ago I was at my aunt's house with my dogs. She said there had been a rabbit hanging out in her yard and we wondered if the dogs would come across it. Sure enough, a few minutes later we see my chihuahua chasing this tiny bunny. They went one way, they went another way and were off around the house. The next thing I know the bunny turns around and comes running towards me. I actually screamed. My aunt laughed at me, because seriously who is afraid of a bunny. What the fuck is wrong with me?

I get all freaked out at the mall now, too. Why do malls always have to have glass railings on the second floor. I am getting woozy just thinking about it. I walk plastered to the wall and try not to look. Seriously. What the fuck is wrong with me?

I have turned into the world's biggest wuss. I need hypnosis or something. Does anyone sell courage in a bottle? Just call me the Cowardly Lion.

Life really is a circle

Last year around this time I was surfing blog links and came across a blog with a story about a woman who was very sick without a cause. Being in the medical field, I clicked on the link and have been lurking there ever since. As I read about this woman, her husband, her children, her life, it seemed so normal. It was the same things we all write about: hanging out with friends, life's annoyances, goofy family stuff and everything in between. Then came this random sickness that started innocent enough and turned into the cause of her death. As I read her husband's words during this time my heart broke. I felt his pain of being helpless and his fear of the future. I felt the pain of the loss of a great love. The pain of the loss of normalcy as life would never be the same again. I literally sat at my desk and wept for this stranger and his children. I told my close family and friends their story and how we should all be a little more thankful in this season of thanksgiving for those we love. I hugged my own mother a little tighter.

Today, I read about his new life. His new love. He is starting to be able to let go of the pain and embrace the joy again. That too, made me cry. It also made me realize that we all deserve that. To be able to have joy everyday, regardless of what we have suffered in the past. So in honor of this family that I have never met, I am going to try and do just that. If this man and his children can find joy after such a great loss, we should all be able to move on from the pettiness of the past. So begins a new journey...

5 thingie-ma-bobs

Bitter Betty stole this from someone and then I stole it from her. Woohoo for the five-fingered discount!!

5 THINGS ABOUT LIL OLE ME

Five favorite days of the year

1. My birthday - Even though as I get older it gets less exciting, it's still MY DAY DAMMIT.
2. Christmas - Just another chance for all those that love me to give me presents. It's really my gift to the world to receive gifts gracefully.
3. All Hallow's Eve - One of these days I am going to throw the coolest costume party EVER.
4. Easter - Coloring eggs is just too much fun.
5. Vacation days - Just cause I'm not at work when I'm supposed to be.

Five things I watched this week
1. Big Brother - Evil Dick banging on a pot lid with a spoon was the funniest thing I have seen on TV in a long time. PRINCESS!
2. Big Love - Polygamy is really interesting, but so not for me.
3. Rock of Love - Brett Michals is kinda hot in a disgusting, dirty rockstar way.
4. Rescue Me - One of the best shows on TV. Dennis Leary is amazingly wrong.
5. Taboo - People do some really crazy shit to their bodies. Damn.

Five things you don't want to do but should
1. Get my fat ass off the couch and moving. I realized yesterday I have zero cardiovascular capacity.
2. Clean my house and mow the grass. Both necessary evils that I curse every time I do them.
3. My actual job, instead of screwing around on my blog.
4. Eat better. Damn chocolate and it's evil pull on me.
5. Really, truly make a budget and stick to it. Not just half-ass it.

Five things you want to learn
1. A foreign language
2. How to do amazing hair and make-up
3. How to sew
4. How to weld
5. Take apart a carburetor

Five animals you've had as or have pets who impacted you
1. Precious Diva Angel - Yorkshire Terrier - I've never known a dog with so much personality
2. My goats - Heidi and Nicki. Did you know a goat will do anything for a Frito?
3. Sunny - The best horse in the world.
4. Turtles - Not very cuddly. It was then I realized I'm not too big on reptiles.
5. Lucy Goo - my weechawa. She shows me the true meaning of unconditional love everyday.

Five favorite pieces of clothing
1. My black and white polka dot dress.
2. My jean Capri's.
3. My new black bra that makes my boobies look so damn good.
4. My handbag and shoe collection.
5. My pajamas.

Five things you enjoy in the summer
1. Sun tea
2. Sitting on porch
3. Watching my dogs play in backyard
4. BBQ's
5. Riding in the car with the sunroof open at night

Five foods you won't eat
1. Mushrooms - They are fungus that grows from poop. Nuff said.
2. Fish. I cannot get past the smell. I will eat crab legs though, go figure.
3. Tofu. I am a meatatarian.
4. Snails, bugs, fish eggs, etc. We are an evolved society, we no longer need to eat that kinda stuff.
5. Anything I can't identify or pronounce cause that's just stupid.

Five things that are not where they belong
1. My dirty dishes. They should be in the dishwasher instead of the sink, but I've been sick dammit.
2. The gift certificates I got last year cause I have no CLUE where they are.
3. My brain. I damn sure can't get it to work today.
4. My dad. He was supposed to be here for vacation 2 weeks ago and still hasn't left yet.
5. My bank account. I gotta go with Betty on this one and say it needs a lot more zeros.

You are given $50,000 to give to 5 people as $10,000 cash gifts, who and why
1. T.V. so she can invest in her new business as a pro photographer and take many more beautiful pictures.
2. A.H. so she can get herself out of debt once and for all and buy that Mickey pendant she was drooling over the other night.
3. My pops so he can get his retirement business going and make some money.
4. My mama cause she needs to take a luxury vacation.
5. And me. Cause I have debt to pay. And once that is gone I can save up for 58 Chevy dammit. And I am a damn worthy cause.