Time:	04:16pm
Subject:	Homepage Update
Mood:	accomplished

I spent some time this weekend updating my homepages. Not so much content as design...for now. Though there were some updates/changes. I decided since my livejournal was somewhat integrated into my pages, and i liked the design, I would lift from model it after my journal design and color scheme. If you actually take the time to bother and look at it, I'd appreciate any feedback. I'd especially like to know: do you like the background?

I can probably put the two further in sync once I get a paid account again. Which I really need to do, since one of my top links currently leads to a porn site, thanks to the wonders of the evolving internet. :P

Time:	09:17am
Subject:	Scary.
Mood:	aggravated

According to the Knight Ridder poll results on this page:

"As far as you know, how many of the September 11th terrorist hijackers were Iraqi citizens: most of them, some of them, just one, or none?"

Most of them 21%
Some of them 23%
Just one 6%
None 17%
Don't know 33%

The scary part being that this obviously is a factor in the support for war with Iraq, and so support is based in part on the fact that (1)people don't have and/or can't be bothered to find out the facts and (2)our media and government appear to want to keep it that way.

On the positive side, even with this misinformation the poll results seem to indicate people favor UN actions and diplomatic resolution rather than unilateral USA actions and war.

Time:	11:12am
Subject:	Randi Rhodes
Mood:	curious

It's amazing what you can stumble onto when blogging about.

The Randi Rhodes Show, Liberal Talk Show Host Extraordinaire. I'll have to check it out.

The interview with Randi Rhodes, in which I first learned of her existence.

Love is the doctrine of this church,
The quest for truth is our sacrament and service is our prayer.
To dwell together in peace, to seek knowledge in freedom,
To serve human need, to the end that
all souls shall grow into harmony with the Divine,
Thus do we covenant with each other and with God.

I attended my first ever Unitarian Universalist church service this last Sunday at Neshoba UU Church in Cordova, TN. Yes, Cordova has a UU church, amazing but true! It was...interesting. I can't say it wasn't what I expected, but then I also kinda didn't know what to expect. For the first time in a long time I did feel that everything I said/recited/sang in the service, I could also say with integrity that I definitely meant and believed. That was a nice feeling.

I don't think Allen, who is not quite as liberal in his thinking as I am, was quite as keen on attending. He said the pastor seemed a bit "out there" for him, based on what he read on the web site. But during and after the service it seemed like he enjoyed it. And I noticed tonight he's been looking at some UUA stuff on the web that was linked from the Neshoba site. So we'll see.

( Read more about the service... )

Huggy Jesus

Time:	11:10am
Subject:	Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated...
Mood:	ecstatic

( The Two Towers thoughts (spoilerific!) )

I'm astonished.

In a good way:
Bill Clinton rips Republicans a new asshole. Too bad it doesn't seem to be getting any coverage. Liberal media, indeed.

P.S. - Mother Jones provides a timeline of bigotry for Lott. I don't necessarily agree that it all indicates he's a bigot, but it does form a suspicious pattern, especially in light of more damning evidence.

UPDATE: Trent Lott steps down from position as Senate Majority Leader.

In a bad way:
Muslim immigrants are rounded up after reporting to authorities.

Time:	04:38pm
Subject:	At least it isn't strawberry or watermelon...
Mood:	pleased

At risk of making myself sound like a hick/redneck, this winery in Arkansas makes the best muscadine wine! We had some with dinner last night, mmm! They've got some other great wines and grape juices as well. In Arkansas. Who knew?

Time:	09:47am
Subject:	Just what my megalomania needed...
Mood:	creative

My very own country:

The Commonwealth of Lorien
"If there is no struggle, there is no progress."

UN Category: Left-wing Utopia
Civil Rights: Superb
Economy: Fragile
Political Freedoms: Superb

Location: The Black Rose Garden

The Commonwealth of Lorien is a tiny, devout nation, renowned for its devotion to social welfare. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 5 million are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whoever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, socially-minded government stops and the rest of society begins, but it concentrates mainly on Social Welfare, although Education and Healthcare are on the agenda. The average income tax rate is 50%, and even higher for the wealthy. A tiny private sector is dominated by the Retail industry.

Crime is well under control. Lorien's national animal is the apple tree cat, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the franklin.

Anybody out there tape the SNL with Al Gore?

Time:	12:11pm
Subject:	Snow!
Mood:	mellow
Music:	the silence of snow

Well, it's snowing. Which is probably no big deal to folks who are further north, but since it usually actually snows here less times a year than you can count on one hand, it's pretty spiffy. It started this morning as sleety rain, but it actually turned to snow as I was driving in to work. Wonderful! And it continues to fall. I've been watching it out my window all morning. What is it about snow that makes it so magical? I don't think they were expecting it to snow this much (if at all) today. Too bad it isn't sticking. I wonder if the roads will ice up tonight? I have a party to go to. Oh well, its snowing! :D

Time:	11:58am
Subject:	For all you Tolkien fans out there...
Mood:	amused

Landover Baptist's review of The Two Towers

Am I being unreasonable?

Time:	11:01am
Subject:	Would you like to take a survey?
Mood:	bored

( Survey sez )

Time:	02:59pm
Subject:	a racist Lott
Mood:	angry

The sad thing is this isn't unbelievable.

Time:	10:17am
Subject:	Well, this is interesting...
Mood:	bored

According to the SelectSmart.com Belief System Selector, my #1 belief match is Reform Judaism. What do you believe? Visit SelectSmart.com/RELIGION

Time:	04:04pm
Subject:	Furry Woodland Creatures
Mood:	weird

One day last week, as I was walking through the park to my car, much to my astonishment there were about 20 squirrels all on and around this one tree. And I mean "on" as in on the trunk, not up in the branches, though they may have been up there too. Now, there are usually lots of squirrels in the park (and there were that day), but usually a bit more spread out. It was like they were having a not-so-secret special meeting. Wierd, no?

Well, then yesterday, it was cold and rainy, and there weren't any squirrels out in the park. Except, again, about 20 around the same tree. Watching. And waiting. For who knows what.

Yes, small furry woodland creatures are cool. And, it must be said, sometimes a little creepy.

Time:	02:37pm
Subject:	Privacy
Mood:	contemplative

For some reason I can't seem to bring myself to write about what is actually going on in my life. It is not as if I'm not doing anything. It is not as if I think my life is boring or even that I think other people will find it boring. Perhaps it is just because I just tend to be a "private person." I must overcome this somehow.

Time:	09:50am
Subject:	Ashcroft needs his vision checked cuz he has a blind spot or two...
Mood:	pissed off

I'm not a gun control activist by any means, but this pisses me off! I heard it yesterday on NPR driving home from work and was stunned.

More comprehensive coverage, with links, here.

Time:	10:00am
Subject:	Can't...resist...collectibles...
Mood:	geeky

Must...have...Van Gogh...with detachable ear! GAAAH! I need help!