Mile Post(?)

Almost 40 years ago, this was a huge hit for Stories. Here's the original from Hot Chocolate - which I think is a lot more straightforward and honest. The Stories cover seemed to be a little bit sanitized for consumption by a white middle-class audience. So we've come a long way - but we ain't there yet. Still plenty to do.

Jace Everett

Been neglecting my music a lot lately.

Reasons

One important reason why our economy is fucked up.

One very important reason why our political system is fucked up.

What's A Church For?

We always hear what a great place it is - I find it oddly reassuring to discover there are hard-ass Christian jagoffs in Canada too.

From Friendly Atheist:

Political Labels

More like Content Labeling, but I think it's a reasonable expectation.  Politicians are  packaged and sold to us like any other commodity - we should know what we're getting.

The New Apostolic Reformation

If you believe in the need to "get back to that old time religion" because God lost control of the world when Adam and Eve discovered knowledge, then I must quote St George of Carlin (with not so much as a pro forma apology): "What're ya, fuckin' stupid?"

Posted at Little Green Footballs:
The New Apostolic Reformation: Evangelicals Engaged In Spiritual Warfare

A Little Impulse Control, Please

People like Steve Chabot are just too typical.  Their instincts are always paternalistic; always leaning towards the authoritarian and anti-democracy mindset of the autocrat.

Less than three days after Chabot prohibited the use of cameras at a supposed “town hall” meeting in North Avondale and used the services of a Cincinnati police officer to stop offenders, the congressman is rescinding the rule for future sessions.

CityBeat reported on Chabot's Big Brother-style tactics in this week's issue, even though the Chabot staffer who enforced the rule never responded to our request for comment. We also criticized the congressman for not letting residents directly ask him questions, instead only accepting queries that were written in advance on paper.

Step Up Or Step Aside

There's lots to be disappointed in and frustrated about when considering Obama's first term. That said, I think It's still a "better the devil you know" proposition - at least for now.

It bugs the shit outa me tho', when it looks like Obama is switching from Governance Mode (Mr Reasonable, giving away an awful lot in the name of compromise and pragmatism) over to Campaign Mode (yes we can; fired up ready to go rah rah).  If that's what it ends up being, then I'll be holding my nose and heading to my polling place in disguise.

Reconstruction Update

Outa jail today.  Yesterday was a really good day, with the PT lady telling me I'm good to go for outpatient treatment now, and then the doc lifted my driving restriction, and finally my visiting nurse person called to tell me I can stop taking Warfarin.  All excellent news, and a full 2 weeks ahead of schedule.  Further evidence (as if any was needed) that I ain't normal.

Dry cleaning, groceries, pick up Sadie and Luke (at friends' for a last hurrah before school starts), gas, last minute school-related shopping.  Ah, the freedom of Parental Servitude.  Ain't it grand?

Reconstruction Update

I graduated from a single crutch to a cane last week (Thursday was day 21 post op), and there's a good part of the day that I can move around fairly well with no help and just a bit of a weird limp.

I made a jail break last week too, and drove to the grocery store - got yelled at pretty good for that one.  I'm gonna ask for the driving restriction to be lifted.  With Nick back at school, there's nobody to help Irene until I can get back up on my hind legs.

Not much pain on the operative hip unless I push things too much.  Still have to be conscientious about the joint restrictions for another 2 1/2 weeks.  I tried sleeping on my left side, but putting the weight on the incision site is still really uncomfortable.  It'll be a big relief when I can sleep in my normal position again

My main complaint now is that the right hip gets pretty sore.  Huge probability that I'm headed for a replacement on that one two, but I'm trying to push it back by working the muscles to compensate for the narrowing joint space.  The problem with that plan of course, is that there's not much the exercising can do to stop either the deterioration of the joint or the ossification around the joint capsule, but strengthening the musculature will help some.