justgin1228

I just don't get it.  Why is it that, in this day and age, a bunch of idiots from Somalia can just board any ship or boat of their choosing, point guns at the owner's heads, and make ransom demands, so much so that the USA has to sit up and take notice and action?  This solution is so obvious here: give everyone on board a lifejacket and a GUN. 

End of story. 

Then we won't be hearing about these idiots getting away with murder.  Perhaps they won't be quite so eager for their next "job" if they know everyone's packin'.  We'll be hearing about them deciding upon a different career path; perhaps they'll head back to employment security commission and ask to take the Myers-Briggs placement test to see what career they are best suited for - that is if they don't get a well-deserved bullet first. 

Fall!!!

Yes!  Someone tried, anyway, and before they could catch me, I told them I had green eyes so I was good.

I'm having to cut my budget drastically and so I'm considering doing away with internet altogether, among other things.  That means having no email account.  I did just fine without it back in the day.  I'm not sure how that affects this account here but wanted to let all my journal buddies know this might be my last post today.  If not then it will be a while before I can make it to the library and catch up. 

I'd ask them to tell me all the things that they have been trying to say to me. 

after 18 years I'm still an INFP.  That's good news if I were a writer, or teacher/professor, or social worker, or psychiatrist.  But I'm not.  Guess I'm going to have to go back to school. 

Here's the site: 

http://www.personalitypage.com/home.html

So, Obama got his "stimulus" package passed, but it doesn't look too stimulatin'.   Perhaps we should have had him qualify what he wanted to stimulate, just like we should have asked what kind of change he wanted to bring.  Some people (the lucky ones!) are going to have to figure out how to spend an extra $13 each paycheck.  Whooptee-freakin'-doo!  He calls that a stimulus package???  Meanwhile the automakers are still poor-mouthing that they are going to have to file bankruptcy if they don't continue to get more bailout money.   But how are they not going under when we still have no money to buy cars?  Are they forgetting that??  Meanwhile I keep searching and hoping to get a full-time job.  Words fail.

Sigh.  BIG sigh.

It seems to be the latest trend.  First it was Freddy Mae and Fannie Mac (I know, duh) and then the fed dumped several trillion dollars into someone's lap (and refused to say who) and now it's the car makers.

I'M NEXT! 

I just wanna couple million.  That's all.

Whaddaya say, gov?

Oh no, it's true!  I didn't realize that stopping my almost daily habit at Starbucks would lead to such a fiasco!  Single-handedly!

I'm also looking into the possibility that I caused the regional drought and global warming. 

Today's the day.  God help us, in Christ's name.

Boy, have I become mouthy since my first post, or what?  I've had this account for about a year (really I don't remember when) but never posted until last week.  Now I'm getting the hang of this posting business.  It seems I have more to talk about than I had previously thought.  Who knew?  Plus, no one has commented yet or told me off, so basically I'm just amusing myself with my own rants.  For me, that's all the reason I need to go on another rant. 

I could be fretting over what is fixing to happen tomorrow, the election - and the end of the United States as I know it.  But I will put that off until tomorrow.  Why fret about things I can't change?

Instead I'm going to use this space to post some thoughts about two books I've been reading:  There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind by Antony Flew with Roy Abraham Varghese, and Dewey: the Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter.  

I knew there had to be some honest atheists out there and I was right!  Antony Flew is one.  He has changed his mind about atheism, much to the chagrin of his former followers, and now believes there is a God, based on the evidence.  Gasp!!  You mean there is evidence of intelligent design throughout the universe?  Sorry, I'm being sarcastic.  I just couldn't help myself.   Few people are going to read this anyway and they probably won't comment, so I'm throwing caution to the wind.  

So the darling of atheism has changed his mind.  Ouch!  That's gotta hurt The First Church of Atheism.   And now their Pope (Dawkins, et al) and individual members of the congregation are busy scrambling, trying to explain away Flew's change of mind, ignoring that it has to do with scientific EVIDENCE.  Instead, they say he's old, he's senile, he's full of **** (I like that last one the best - it really shows the academic nature of their criticism!)  He has converted from atheism to deism.  He now believes there is sufficient evidence of a god who created the universe but is like an absent landlord, uninterested in the affairs of his creation.  Okay, well that's a start.

This puts me in mind of a chance meeting with another ex-atheist I met, of all places,  in an AOL chat room.   This happened within the past 8 to 10 years I think.  Her screenname was THYWORD (yes, all caps) or something similar that left no question that this woman had changed her mind.  She says it happened in increments.  First she said there is no god, then that there is some kind of god, then finally that there is a God and Jesus Christ is the exact representation of Him.  I lost touch with her, sadly. 

So I still hold out hope for Antony Flew that he may yet revise his views about this creator he has finally acknowledged and accept the truth of Christianity.  One who changes his mind based on evidence is an honest person.  It's been said that if your worldview never changes from one decade to the next, you might need to check your pulse; you might be dead.  

You'd think that Flew's conversion to deism would give all atheists pause.  Maybe it has and they're just not willing to talk about it.  Instead there have been a barrage of attacks on his character, his age, and his mental status (not to mention the content of his bowels.)  I saw a video of Dawkins criticizing Flew's conversion in a speech given to an audience at Liberty University in Virginia.  He off-handedly and condescendingly sneared about Flew's "old age" in the same voice that the Grinch told Cindy Lou Who why her Christmas tree had to be taken back to the shop.  Dismissive, cunning, and deceitful, just like the Grinch.  Coincidence?  I think not!  Dawkins is not interested in the fact that Flew has reiterated his continuing belief that there is no afterlife and that he still has no reason to take Pascal's wager, "...in his old age..."  If truth were paramount to Dawkins, he might have to admit that there is a God based on scientific evidence.   He needs to check his pulse. 

Well, enough of this academic pursuit!  Now on to the good stuff. 

Dewey: the library cat....is a surprisingly good read.  I expected it to be about Dewey's antics on this day or that day; instead it's about that plus the town of Spencer and the life of the author Vicki Myron.  Where I had expected a collection of boring cat stories, I got involved in the life of the author and the town in which she lived, and met Dewey, by chance - who lived a charmed life at the library despite the abuse he suffered at the beginning of his life, which was the reason he became the library cat.  No wonder it's on the NY Times bestseller list. 

It's not surprising that I'm reading both these books at the same time, as they stimulate my philosophical and social needs.  I highly recommend both. 

Relax, they're not closing, far as I know.  I'm leaving them.  I've got to.

Starbucks' Mocha frapps and cafe mochas are addictive.  How do I know this, you ask?  Well, when a girl goes there to get one almost every day, she has to ask herself if she has a problem.  And I do.  Another way to know if you have a problem is when you drive up to order and half the staff there already know you and what you are going to order, and then they say "see you tomorrow" as they hand you your drink.  And when you drive to Starbucks when you meant to go somewhere else, like the hardware store,  because your car knows the way so well, that's when you know you've got to do something drastic.  And I have.

No, I'm not cutting off the coffee cold-turkey.  Heh!  What were you thinking, that I'm crazy or something?  No!  I'm just learning how to make them at home.  Sort of.  I haven't hit upon the exact measurements of coffee, chocolate and whipped cream just yet, but how hard could it be?  Also, I haven't  made the iced version yet, just the hot version.  It's easier, plus the weather is cool right now, so hot drinks are yummy.  And I'm determined to save money by making my own coffee and by keeping my wintertime thermostat on 68, among many other things that I'm doing. 

So it really comes down to saving money, not beating an addiction.  I figure if I buy one $10 bag of Starbucks coffee from the grocery store and it lasts me a month, and then I don't have to pay Starbucks $3.69 a day ($110.70/mo), I'm saving $100 a month!!!  My mind is just whirling with ideas on how to spend that! 

But I'm worried about Starbucks.  What if they fall on hard times because of me?  One person can't have that much effect on the economy, can she?  I thought that was a legitimate worry until I typed it.  Now it looks stupid. 

I'm going to have more money!!!  Yay, me!  (Sorry, ADD kicking in.)

But seriously, one person does have an effect.  And with the economy the way it is nowadays, that does have me concerned.  I want to do my part, but I need some extra cash in order to do that. 

Hmmmm, I think I'll go put on a pot so I can do some serious thinking about this... 

So, it's just a few days before the election.  I think this one is probably the most important one we've ever had. 

We've got a man whose middle and last names should put us in mind of two of the most horrible and tyrannical leaders in modern history:  Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.  Just 7 short years ago, these two figures were involved in the horror of September 11th  - one caused it, the other applauded what happened. 

Why is it that a majority of Americans have forgotten this?  I'm not saying we should play the name association game here.   After all, Barrack Hussein Obama could be a Republican espousing the right to life for all unborn babies, lower taxes, less government, more individual liberties, the right to own a gun, the right to free speech - even if we disagree, and capitalism.  Then his name wouldn't matter. 

But take a look at his policies of killing the unborn or the mostly born, increasing government thereby taking away more of our God-given liberties , raising taxes on the hard-working middle class (of which I am one) for the purpose of giving it to the lazy, good-for-nothings, who will not work so that they qualify for welfare (and this is just for starters.)   And remember that although he is playing the black race card, he is mostly Arab/Caucasian.  Now, his middle and last name should scare you.  And there are two of his friends, Ayres and "Reverend" Wright with their shady dealings and ungodly philosphies.  If that's not enough to scare some sense into you, then I don't know what will.  And then there's the coup de gras.....the liberal media - who are telling John Q. Public nothing but good things about Obama/Biden and bad things about Mccain/Palin.  I don't think the Republicans can win, for losing.  I hope and pray that I'm wrong.  But that has me worried too.  When was the last time God overtook your will and made you vote for the other guy? 

I liken today's general discontent with the Republicans to that of the days following Watergate in 1974 and President Nixon's resignation from office.  People wanted to crucify Nixon.  What he did was wrong, no doubt about that.  But those who wanted to crucify him were guilty of the same or worse; it's just they didn't get caught.  Then along came a breath of fresh air; someone unknown, someone who smiled a lot and spoke soothing words: Jimmy Carter.  And he won that election hands down.  Retribution against the Republicans was swift and sweet.  But then four short years later, everyone was sick of Carter and wanted him out.... 

If we don't learn the lessons of history we are doomed to repeat them.   Now fast-forward to the present day. 

Nowadays, John Q. Public, who believe everything they hear and see on CNN/Fox/ABC/etc... .to be  the gospel truth, are sick and tired of the Republicans and want them out.  They want a breath of fresh air, someone who smiles a lot and speaks soothing words...and along comes Barrack Hussein Obama, using a very soothing word "change".  He fits their bill.  But they are forgetting that the word change is benign.  It needs a qualifier.   Do they want change for the better or for the worse?  The latter is what I believe we will get with Obama.  Socialism, anyone?  Communism, anyone?  Obama/Biden 2008!

How strange it is that you have to practice driving and study and take a test and pass it to get a driver's license, but anyone, 18 or older, can vote?  That shouldn't be.  You should have to study history, economics, foreign policy, domestic policy and pass those classes with at least a B.  (Or you could place out of these classes by being a registered Republican!  Hey it's MY journal!)  Then study all the policies and performances of all the candidates, without the help of the liberal media, take a test and pass it BEFORE you will be allowed the privilege to vote.  But as it is right now, our future is in the hands of a general public with a mean IQ of 100 (I'm being generous - probably 90), who have rings in their snouts, being dragged along and fed by the liberal media.  How appropriate that today is Hallowe'en.  Now witches and goblins and black cats don't scare me.  But ignoramuses who are registered to vote do.   And there seem to be enough of them supporting Barrack Hussein Obama to put him in office. 

And the election is just a few days away...