I used to think AM I EVIL, the Metalica cover, was the quintessential metal song. It had the slow, marching beginning, the build up, the harmonics, the hammer-ons, a black theme (burning a witch). It had the EFF word. It had a SWEET, prolonged bridge. Man, what a good song. But it isn't really metal and it isn't Metalica's song.
I submit that THIS is the new contender for quintessential metal song. I adore this song. The video is only ok, but you can see Alex play and that is always nice.
watch this Video
I think the vocals are perfect. They seem high like old metal, but gravely enough to not be wussy. And he growls in a melodic way. In short, they are perfect.
The riff is technically masterful, original without being nerdy. The guitar solo is untouchable. IMHO, there aren't much better.
In short, when it comes to TESTAMENT, there IS more than meets the eye.
p.s. There area a lot of chubby, American Indians in the crowd at every metal concert. It is about damn time they are represented on stage! :P
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sarah Palin. I hate her.
No, not as a person. But she is dumB. That's right, with a capital B. She has no business being in a government job, let alone being a heart beat away from leading the free world.
This SNL skit is not so funny once you see it juxtaposed with the REAL clip. It is scary:
She is not bright, she has never had an original thought and she, to the best of my knowledge, NEVER ended a sentence? She has been speaking in one, giant, run-amok, gargantuan run-on sentence since she was 15.
And this from Fox News. So you can't say it is unfair or biased media. No, she is just dumb. Hail Mary: FAIL!!!!
If she is voted in, the country is doomed. Not because she will do anything too terrible. But because the backlash in 4 years will be devastating.
The pendulum for the presidency keeps swinging harder, faster and farther. It is becoming a joke and it isn't funny anymore.
This SNL skit is not so funny once you see it juxtaposed with the REAL clip. It is scary:
She is not bright, she has never had an original thought and she, to the best of my knowledge, NEVER ended a sentence? She has been speaking in one, giant, run-amok, gargantuan run-on sentence since she was 15.
And this from Fox News. So you can't say it is unfair or biased media. No, she is just dumb. Hail Mary: FAIL!!!!
If she is voted in, the country is doomed. Not because she will do anything too terrible. But because the backlash in 4 years will be devastating.
The pendulum for the presidency keeps swinging harder, faster and farther. It is becoming a joke and it isn't funny anymore.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Lion King
My mother took me and my wife and dad to the Lion King in Salt Lake. It is a masterpiece of theater. The story is pretty cliche' as we all know from the animated film. But a good one. Grow up, man-up and reach your full potential. etc.
I enjoyed the fact that they tweaked the story a little for a more mature audience. Nothing graphic or risque, but a noticeable shift from a target audience of under 8 to over 8. I enjoyed even more the heavy African themes. The music and costumes were much more reminiscent of African culture.
Most people have seen the crazy costumes and they ARE crazy. They are half costumes, half puppets and half props. (yes, they have three halves. that is the kind of crazy, magical engineering that went into these things). So the giraffe on stilts was cool. The huge elephant with 4 or 5 people working it that walks down the aisle to the stage is cool. I liked the zebra and cheetahs that had human back legs, but fake front legs, but with the head and front paws wired to the actor, so it had a very real range of movements.
The father lion and his evil brother, names are eluding me and I'm too lazy to search for them, had the coolest costumes. The actors had full lion head "hats" that revealed their human face while talking, but had an apparatus that allowed them to lower the lion mask (hat) over their own face to make a point. And then with a shrug of their shoulders, they could flip the mask back up on top of their head. Hard to describe or imagine, but a very cool effect. Luckily for us there was some gifted nerd who desperately wanted to be on Broadway, but had no talent. But what he did have was made math skills with which he studied engineering and applied that discipline to the costumes and stage of the Lion King.
Other highlights: There was very little actual scenery. Most of it was actors dressed as trees, flowers, grass, etc. But instead of being cheesy as one might think, the effect was amazing. There was a cool moment when they dragged a 1 foot wide, 40 feet long strip of grass across the stage, which made it seem like they were traveling.
The highlight of the stage craft was the wildebeest stampede down the canyon. Impossible to describe, but amazing to watch. Well done, Lion King.
The music was phenomenal as well. Two bongo drums up on either side in the good seats. Full orchestra. Perfect vocal work.
I enjoyed the fact that they tweaked the story a little for a more mature audience. Nothing graphic or risque, but a noticeable shift from a target audience of under 8 to over 8. I enjoyed even more the heavy African themes. The music and costumes were much more reminiscent of African culture.
Most people have seen the crazy costumes and they ARE crazy. They are half costumes, half puppets and half props. (yes, they have three halves. that is the kind of crazy, magical engineering that went into these things). So the giraffe on stilts was cool. The huge elephant with 4 or 5 people working it that walks down the aisle to the stage is cool. I liked the zebra and cheetahs that had human back legs, but fake front legs, but with the head and front paws wired to the actor, so it had a very real range of movements.
The father lion and his evil brother, names are eluding me and I'm too lazy to search for them, had the coolest costumes. The actors had full lion head "hats" that revealed their human face while talking, but had an apparatus that allowed them to lower the lion mask (hat) over their own face to make a point. And then with a shrug of their shoulders, they could flip the mask back up on top of their head. Hard to describe or imagine, but a very cool effect. Luckily for us there was some gifted nerd who desperately wanted to be on Broadway, but had no talent. But what he did have was made math skills with which he studied engineering and applied that discipline to the costumes and stage of the Lion King.
Other highlights: There was very little actual scenery. Most of it was actors dressed as trees, flowers, grass, etc. But instead of being cheesy as one might think, the effect was amazing. There was a cool moment when they dragged a 1 foot wide, 40 feet long strip of grass across the stage, which made it seem like they were traveling.
The highlight of the stage craft was the wildebeest stampede down the canyon. Impossible to describe, but amazing to watch. Well done, Lion King.
The music was phenomenal as well. Two bongo drums up on either side in the good seats. Full orchestra. Perfect vocal work.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Let them eat cake
So Russia is giving nuclear power to Iran and China is giving it to Pakistan. Is this a recipe for Armageddon, or a step toward normalizing the region?
This article talks about the Pakistan plan to get a 1 gigawatt atomic plant up and running.
Here is the way I see it. They already have nuclear missile capabilities. The cat is out of the bag on that one, so why not flood the populace with cheap electrical energy? Where is the downside?
In a few short years, they will be inundated with consumer products, accompanying consumer debt and with the leisure time that comes from machines washing the dishes, cooking the food, doing the laundry, and cable and internet feeds to multiple screens around the house, they will soon be soulless zombies addicted to XBox 360 games and HBM Sunday night programming.
TIVO: the new and improved opiate of the masses. (maybe they can blog their frustrations rather than act on them. win/win/WIN! )
This article talks about the Pakistan plan to get a 1 gigawatt atomic plant up and running.
Here is the way I see it. They already have nuclear missile capabilities. The cat is out of the bag on that one, so why not flood the populace with cheap electrical energy? Where is the downside?
In a few short years, they will be inundated with consumer products, accompanying consumer debt and with the leisure time that comes from machines washing the dishes, cooking the food, doing the laundry, and cable and internet feeds to multiple screens around the house, they will soon be soulless zombies addicted to XBox 360 games and HBM Sunday night programming.
TIVO: the new and improved opiate of the masses. (maybe they can blog their frustrations rather than act on them. win/win/WIN! )
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Julie and Julia
I loved this movie. Never mind that I think Meryl Streep is the greatest living actor of all (for GOOD reason). I also love Amy Adams. The duo were amazing in DOUBT and it was cool to see them in a movie together, although I'm sure they never crossed paths until opening night on the red carpet.
I like to cook, so it was fun on that level. It was cool to see Julie Child's tenacity and ability to force her way into a place she really had no reason to occupy (French Chef and Writer). I loved the way her relationship with her husband was portrayed.
I didn't really buy the "marital crises" that Julia experienced from doing her cooking blog. I mean, the husband was feeling neglected and abused over a little stress and a few hours here and there when she spent time writing? Man-up, wuss. Sheesh.
It has made me want to start cooking again. Real cooking, not just making meals that kids will actually eat. No time now though. Someday maybe.
I like to cook, so it was fun on that level. It was cool to see Julie Child's tenacity and ability to force her way into a place she really had no reason to occupy (French Chef and Writer). I loved the way her relationship with her husband was portrayed.
I didn't really buy the "marital crises" that Julia experienced from doing her cooking blog. I mean, the husband was feeling neglected and abused over a little stress and a few hours here and there when she spent time writing? Man-up, wuss. Sheesh.
It has made me want to start cooking again. Real cooking, not just making meals that kids will actually eat. No time now though. Someday maybe.
Monday, September 13, 2010
I never blog
But I want to.
I'm going to try to do it more. So if I have nothing to talk about, I'll critically review entertainment. Why not?
ok. So we watched PRECIOUS. Let me say, I went in with a very flawed expectation. I thought it might be a prequel to Lord of the Rings about Sméagol and the One Ring...
Instead we got a shocking and depressing and sadly accurate story of the state of inner city culture and the cycles of abuse. I don't know much on the topic as white boy born and raised in small Utah towns, but I did serve a mission in Cleveland, so was exposed to government projects populated almost exclusively by African-Americans. Not exactly a ghetto pass, but I do have some street cred. [except for one that had all white people in the country outside of Windham Township, Ohio. This was an old military barracks, but was retired and turned into free housing for the local poor. A similar phenomena that have been addressed for centuries about common-held property vs. privately owned. i.e. it was not well cared for here. You'll notice an A and B. The B is the barracks out in the middle of nowhere, but they are part of the town of Windham A, a nice little gathering of farmers. ]
Anyway, some memories were brought to my mind after watching the movie. I shared with my sweet wife and now with you.
This is Garfield Heights where I lived. The tag A was where I lived. If you look at the lay of the land, you will notice two major roads form a mountain. The mountain was actually our assigned area and we had to walk around, over a bridge (which has "Mook" written into the cement which was wet while they were fixing it). The area up in the top right corner was an all-black neighborhood, but Garfield Heights, the portion under the mountain, was all white.
Growing up in Utah, I had never been exposed to real racism. The white folks in Garfield felt like they were on the front lines of losing their city and they had decided to not "retreat" any more. As such, if a nice black family tried to buy a house in that neighborhood (under the right "slope" of the "mountain"), they would just find their home burned down. I thought this was a joke, but on the North_East side of the street there were all black families and on the South-West side, all white (and several, random empty lots in an otherwise old neighborhood). Even the Realtors were on board. Not that they supported the actions, but they would be remiss had they not given the warning.
So the very limited exposer to the 'hood was enlightening. From the gentlemen who opened the door one fine morning to find two white kids in ties on his porch. He had clearly just woken up, but when he saw us, his eyes went wide and he said, "Do you know where you are???" and then poked his head out to look around at who might be watching. We didn't think much of it.
Same street, some guy came running out of his house as we rode by on bikes screaming threats at us and throwing rocks. One hit my companion, but only hit his backpack.
There was a nice, older couple who were members and we would visit them and they started coming out weekly again. We thought that would give us a toe-hold. We were teaching a family of 5 kids, one mom, all different dads. They were close to joining, but the mom was feeling pressure from her Jehovah Witness sister. Talking to a missionary much later, apparently all the kids, but one died in a gas-leak fire.
Near her home, a car full of young boys pulled up. I stopped on my bike and the passenger reached his hand out to shake my hand, when I offered my hand, he grabbed me and the driver gunned the car, presumably to drag me down the road, but I was able to slip out of his grasp.
We taught another lady who had a baby girl. She told me of a woman through the block who was addicted to crack and behind on payments to her dealer. The dealer kidnapped her 11 year old daughter and threatened to kill her. With no money there was nothing she could do, so the daughter was delivered in two, large garbage bags on her front step.
We would see 18 year old kids rolling around in brand, new convertible IROC Cameros. Not sure how they found the money...
Funny coincidence, one of the more disturbing scenes is the "this pig foot has too much hair on it to eat and I can't eat it without collard greens" and while I type this, I checked the news and found this:
Report: Woman eating pig's feet in bed cuts friend
By Kimberly Dick
The (Rock Hill) Herald
Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 14, 2010
Rock Hill, S.C. --
Read more:
I wonder if it had hair on it and needed some extra cutting...
Anyway. The movie Precious was well done. It captured the ugly side of the welfare culture and certainly isn't confined to any race. Just go to Windham Township if you don't believe me. But when your only way out of your abusive family is to have a kid, get welfare and your own apartment, the incentive is there. When the fathers have no standard by which they are measured or held to, it is not wonder they just go and do whatever they can or want to at any given time.
How do you repair such a cycle? It is tempting to just look at the dollars and cut the funding and make the individual rise up. But when you look at Precious and her situation and her kids, you would be forcing them to suffer endless abuses or starve. Cutting funding may work when you are crunching numbers, but fails when you get to the human being level.
I will go out on a limb and give one opinion. I think it would be beneficial for all involved to completely eradicate all cable and television sets from such homes. The human mind and spirit yearns for input. With a tv, it is so easy to just shut down and lay there while the programming keeps the mind occupied. Kind of like Gollum and the Ring of Power, it blinds the senses and corrupts the soul. Hey! There *IS* a connection!
Without a TV, one gets bored and at least gets out of the house. Or reads, or seeks human friendship. Put that on the, If I Were King for a Day list. No TVs if you are getting government assistance.
I'm going to go watch Fellowship of the Ring. I need a good dose of Gollum.
I'm going to try to do it more. So if I have nothing to talk about, I'll critically review entertainment. Why not?
ok. So we watched PRECIOUS. Let me say, I went in with a very flawed expectation. I thought it might be a prequel to Lord of the Rings about Sméagol and the One Ring...
Instead we got a shocking and depressing and sadly accurate story of the state of inner city culture and the cycles of abuse. I don't know much on the topic as white boy born and raised in small Utah towns, but I did serve a mission in Cleveland, so was exposed to government projects populated almost exclusively by African-Americans. Not exactly a ghetto pass, but I do have some street cred. [except for one that had all white people in the country outside of Windham Township, Ohio. This was an old military barracks, but was retired and turned into free housing for the local poor. A similar phenomena that have been addressed for centuries about common-held property vs. privately owned. i.e. it was not well cared for here. You'll notice an A and B. The B is the barracks out in the middle of nowhere, but they are part of the town of Windham A, a nice little gathering of farmers. ]
Anyway, some memories were brought to my mind after watching the movie. I shared with my sweet wife and now with you.
This is Garfield Heights where I lived. The tag A was where I lived. If you look at the lay of the land, you will notice two major roads form a mountain. The mountain was actually our assigned area and we had to walk around, over a bridge (which has "Mook" written into the cement which was wet while they were fixing it). The area up in the top right corner was an all-black neighborhood, but Garfield Heights, the portion under the mountain, was all white.
Growing up in Utah, I had never been exposed to real racism. The white folks in Garfield felt like they were on the front lines of losing their city and they had decided to not "retreat" any more. As such, if a nice black family tried to buy a house in that neighborhood (under the right "slope" of the "mountain"), they would just find their home burned down. I thought this was a joke, but on the North_East side of the street there were all black families and on the South-West side, all white (and several, random empty lots in an otherwise old neighborhood). Even the Realtors were on board. Not that they supported the actions, but they would be remiss had they not given the warning.
So the very limited exposer to the 'hood was enlightening. From the gentlemen who opened the door one fine morning to find two white kids in ties on his porch. He had clearly just woken up, but when he saw us, his eyes went wide and he said, "Do you know where you are???" and then poked his head out to look around at who might be watching. We didn't think much of it.
Same street, some guy came running out of his house as we rode by on bikes screaming threats at us and throwing rocks. One hit my companion, but only hit his backpack.
There was a nice, older couple who were members and we would visit them and they started coming out weekly again. We thought that would give us a toe-hold. We were teaching a family of 5 kids, one mom, all different dads. They were close to joining, but the mom was feeling pressure from her Jehovah Witness sister. Talking to a missionary much later, apparently all the kids, but one died in a gas-leak fire.
Near her home, a car full of young boys pulled up. I stopped on my bike and the passenger reached his hand out to shake my hand, when I offered my hand, he grabbed me and the driver gunned the car, presumably to drag me down the road, but I was able to slip out of his grasp.
We taught another lady who had a baby girl. She told me of a woman through the block who was addicted to crack and behind on payments to her dealer. The dealer kidnapped her 11 year old daughter and threatened to kill her. With no money there was nothing she could do, so the daughter was delivered in two, large garbage bags on her front step.
We would see 18 year old kids rolling around in brand, new convertible IROC Cameros. Not sure how they found the money...
Funny coincidence, one of the more disturbing scenes is the "this pig foot has too much hair on it to eat and I can't eat it without collard greens" and while I type this, I checked the news and found this:
Report: Woman eating pig's feet in bed cuts friend
By Kimberly Dick
The (Rock Hill) Herald
Posted: Tuesday, Sep. 14, 2010
Rock Hill, S.C. --
A woman who was eating pig’s feet in bed accidentally cut her friend in the arm, police say.
The 52-year-old Rock Hill woman told police she accidentally cut a friend in the forearm with a knife around 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Both she and the victim, 50, were intoxicated, according to a Rock Hill police report.
He had a deep cut to his arm. The report did not state if he was hospitalized.
No charges were filed, but the incident remains under investigation.
Read more:
I wonder if it had hair on it and needed some extra cutting...
Anyway. The movie Precious was well done. It captured the ugly side of the welfare culture and certainly isn't confined to any race. Just go to Windham Township if you don't believe me. But when your only way out of your abusive family is to have a kid, get welfare and your own apartment, the incentive is there. When the fathers have no standard by which they are measured or held to, it is not wonder they just go and do whatever they can or want to at any given time.
How do you repair such a cycle? It is tempting to just look at the dollars and cut the funding and make the individual rise up. But when you look at Precious and her situation and her kids, you would be forcing them to suffer endless abuses or starve. Cutting funding may work when you are crunching numbers, but fails when you get to the human being level.
I will go out on a limb and give one opinion. I think it would be beneficial for all involved to completely eradicate all cable and television sets from such homes. The human mind and spirit yearns for input. With a tv, it is so easy to just shut down and lay there while the programming keeps the mind occupied. Kind of like Gollum and the Ring of Power, it blinds the senses and corrupts the soul. Hey! There *IS* a connection!
Without a TV, one gets bored and at least gets out of the house. Or reads, or seeks human friendship. Put that on the, If I Were King for a Day list. No TVs if you are getting government assistance.
I'm going to go watch Fellowship of the Ring. I need a good dose of Gollum.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Re-activating the inactive
I have been effectively rendered inactive by life's events (and my own lack of complete devotion).
I am working out of town a great deal which has made Sunday a strange day for packing, driving, last minute chores, etc. Add to that the fact that occasionally we spend the weekend out of town for visits to family, trips to Disneyland, visits to other wards and the occasional out and out, old-fashioned, god-given right of skipping church.
Finally, we have remodeled our home and B'Andra moved every item we own into storage and we have been forced to live with her sisters since the middle of December. We have finally moved back into our home, unpacked enough clothing to dress up for church (I couldn't find a tie, however...).
In all this, Gidian is the one who has suffered. The young boy needs weekly doses of indoctrination, I mean doctrination. Doctrination of convenanting.
So, we open the hymnal for the opening song and B'Andra tells Bub to read along, since the boy has recently become a CRAZY good reader. Here were the lyrics of the opening song:
1. Hope of Israel, Zion’s army,
Children of the promised day,
See, the Chieftain signals onward,
And the battle’s in array!
[Chorus]
Hope of Israel, rise in might
With the sword of truth and right;
Sound the war-cry, “Watch and pray!”
Vanquish ev’ry foe today.
2. See the foe in countless numbers,
Marshaled in the ranks of sin.
Hope of Israel, on to battle;
Now the vict’ry we must win!
3. Strike for Zion, down with error;
Flash the sword above the foe!
Ev’ry stroke disarms a foeman;
Ev’ry step we conq’ring go.
4. Soon the battle will be over;
Ev’ry foe of truth be down.
Onward, onward, youth of Zion;
Thy reward the victor’s crown.
Gidian kept looking up at me with a "are you kidding me? these songs are about fantasy, swords, cutting of arms and winning battles????" look.
He thought it was pretty cool. The sacrament hymn didn't quite capture his attention in the same way, but low and behold, the closing hymn was a classic: IF YOU COULD HIE TO KOLOB. Which is basically a song about the inner longing of all men to travel at Warp Speed, and how even if you could, you would not be able to see all of creation. What is smartly summed up in a single hymn was addressed in 5 TV shows (Star Trek, Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager and Enterprise).
The lyrics of Hie to Kolob, as a reminder: (Hie actually means "warp" in old english... I think)
1. If you could hie to Kolob
In the twinkling of an eye,
And then continue onward
With that same speed to fly,
Do you think that you could ever,
Through all eternity,
Find out the generation
Where Gods began to be?
2. Or see the grand beginning,
Where space did not extend?
Or view the last creation,
Where Gods and matter end?
Methinks the Spirit whispers,
“No man has found ‘pure space,’
Nor seen the outside curtains,
Where nothing has a place.”
3. The works of God continue,
And worlds and lives abound;
Improvement and progression
Have one eternal round.
There is no end to matter;
There is no end to space;
There is no end to spirit;
There is no end to race.
So we covered Science Fiction and Fantasy themes in church. Not bad. Gidian was pretty entertained.
He asked about the last line about no end to race. I wasn't sure, so I said "It is about the spaceship race through space that never ends." That answer satisfied him. But I have to admit that it left me scratching my head. There is no end to race? So our skin pigments get resurrected with us? That seems strange. What ever happened to unity?
I wonder what ol' WW Phelps was thinking. I have a suspicion that he just ran out of words that rhymed and went with the easy target.
I can't wait to read Ether 15 to Gidian. Of course, it isn't PG-13, it has a full R rating for violence when the headless Shiz does a push up and gurgles blood out of his headless neck as the corpse reflexively tries to take once last breath. Coooool!
Don't believe me?
"Ether 15:30": 30 And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz.
"Ether 15:31": 31 And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised upon his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died.
Yeah. Gidian is going to love that. When he is old enough to handle the gruesome nature of some scripture. :)
I am working out of town a great deal which has made Sunday a strange day for packing, driving, last minute chores, etc. Add to that the fact that occasionally we spend the weekend out of town for visits to family, trips to Disneyland, visits to other wards and the occasional out and out, old-fashioned, god-given right of skipping church.
Finally, we have remodeled our home and B'Andra moved every item we own into storage and we have been forced to live with her sisters since the middle of December. We have finally moved back into our home, unpacked enough clothing to dress up for church (I couldn't find a tie, however...).
In all this, Gidian is the one who has suffered. The young boy needs weekly doses of indoctrination, I mean doctrination. Doctrination of convenanting.
So, we open the hymnal for the opening song and B'Andra tells Bub to read along, since the boy has recently become a CRAZY good reader. Here were the lyrics of the opening song:
1. Hope of Israel, Zion’s army,
Children of the promised day,
See, the Chieftain signals onward,
And the battle’s in array!
[Chorus]
Hope of Israel, rise in might
With the sword of truth and right;
Sound the war-cry, “Watch and pray!”
Vanquish ev’ry foe today.
2. See the foe in countless numbers,
Marshaled in the ranks of sin.
Hope of Israel, on to battle;
Now the vict’ry we must win!
3. Strike for Zion, down with error;
Flash the sword above the foe!
Ev’ry stroke disarms a foeman;
Ev’ry step we conq’ring go.
4. Soon the battle will be over;
Ev’ry foe of truth be down.
Onward, onward, youth of Zion;
Thy reward the victor’s crown.
Gidian kept looking up at me with a "are you kidding me? these songs are about fantasy, swords, cutting of arms and winning battles????" look.
He thought it was pretty cool. The sacrament hymn didn't quite capture his attention in the same way, but low and behold, the closing hymn was a classic: IF YOU COULD HIE TO KOLOB. Which is basically a song about the inner longing of all men to travel at Warp Speed, and how even if you could, you would not be able to see all of creation. What is smartly summed up in a single hymn was addressed in 5 TV shows (Star Trek, Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager and Enterprise).
The lyrics of Hie to Kolob, as a reminder: (Hie actually means "warp" in old english... I think)
1. If you could hie to Kolob
In the twinkling of an eye,
And then continue onward
With that same speed to fly,
Do you think that you could ever,
Through all eternity,
Find out the generation
Where Gods began to be?
2. Or see the grand beginning,
Where space did not extend?
Or view the last creation,
Where Gods and matter end?
Methinks the Spirit whispers,
“No man has found ‘pure space,’
Nor seen the outside curtains,
Where nothing has a place.”
3. The works of God continue,
And worlds and lives abound;
Improvement and progression
Have one eternal round.
There is no end to matter;
There is no end to space;
There is no end to spirit;
There is no end to race.
So we covered Science Fiction and Fantasy themes in church. Not bad. Gidian was pretty entertained.
He asked about the last line about no end to race. I wasn't sure, so I said "It is about the spaceship race through space that never ends." That answer satisfied him. But I have to admit that it left me scratching my head. There is no end to race? So our skin pigments get resurrected with us? That seems strange. What ever happened to unity?
I wonder what ol' WW Phelps was thinking. I have a suspicion that he just ran out of words that rhymed and went with the easy target.
I can't wait to read Ether 15 to Gidian. Of course, it isn't PG-13, it has a full R rating for violence when the headless Shiz does a push up and gurgles blood out of his headless neck as the corpse reflexively tries to take once last breath. Coooool!
Don't believe me?
"Ether 15:30": 30 And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz.
"Ether 15:31": 31 And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised upon his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died.
Yeah. Gidian is going to love that. When he is old enough to handle the gruesome nature of some scripture. :)
Friday, January 08, 2010
Gidian Loses Tooth #2
Gidian lost a tooth a few months ago. he was biting a Happy Meal toy and loosened it right up.
So when I saw how loose it was, I did that which was my right and duty as a father. The same thing my father taught me. I caught the top of it with a finger nail and ripped it out. Nearly. Actually, I just made it really loose.
So, Gidian manned up and grabbed it and slowly twisted it off. I was proud.
In the spot where the old tooth was, that we thought was prematurely loosened was an adult tooth coming in crooked. This inspired me to immediately loosen the tooth next to it.
Fast forward to last night. I had told Gidian to loosen the tooth while in school, but it hadn't changed for weeks. upon closer inspection, I saw an adult tooth coming in behind it, sideways and crooked. I told Gidian it was " GO TIME".
So we took turns knocking it loose. He gave it a good shove, got some blood out of it. I then pulled from the side and really heard a nice ripping sound. That was all Bubba needed. He grabbed on and slowly twisted, just like the first time and ripped that baby out.
The tooth fairy came and paid in arrears. $5 a tooth. Talk about inflation. I guess the tooth fairly took into account the traumatic nature of both teeth extractions.
Monday, December 14, 2009
cheesecake:
Consider the energy and essence of life in every bite of cheesecake.
A cow, with considerable effort and time, grazes an entire day to glean the nutrients out of thousands of blades of grass, which have harnessed the energy of the sun, and minerals of the earth and sea all to give sustenance to that cow.
That cow in turn funnels the entirety of her labors into her milk which is hijacked and extorted by diary farmers and accumulated in vats. Quite literally the "fat of the land" is then skimmed off and salted, processed into condensed life.
Sugar cane, using a similar process collects the energies of life which is collected, condensed and added to the fat.
Each bite of cheesecake represents life force. Pure energy collected, stored and disbursed in decadent fashion. When you consider the fact that every time energy is transferred, there is energy lost, you realize what that bolus truly cost. And probably why you pack the memory around on your gut for the rest of your life.
A cow, with considerable effort and time, grazes an entire day to glean the nutrients out of thousands of blades of grass, which have harnessed the energy of the sun, and minerals of the earth and sea all to give sustenance to that cow.
That cow in turn funnels the entirety of her labors into her milk which is hijacked and extorted by diary farmers and accumulated in vats. Quite literally the "fat of the land" is then skimmed off and salted, processed into condensed life.
Sugar cane, using a similar process collects the energies of life which is collected, condensed and added to the fat.
Each bite of cheesecake represents life force. Pure energy collected, stored and disbursed in decadent fashion. When you consider the fact that every time energy is transferred, there is energy lost, you realize what that bolus truly cost. And probably why you pack the memory around on your gut for the rest of your life.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Why I’m a Libertarian Nut Instead of Just a Nut
By Penn Jillette
I don’t speak for all Libertarians any more than Sean Penn speaks for all Democrats. I’m not even sure my LP membership card is up to date. I’ve voted Libertarian as long as I can remember but I don’t really remember much before the Clintons and the Bushes. Those clans made a lot of us bugnutty. When I go on Glenn’s show he calls me a Libertarian, I think that’s my only real credential.
There are historical reasons and pragmatic reasons to be a Libertarian, but there are historic and pragmatic reasons to be a Democrat, a Republican or a Socialist. I don’t know if everyone would be better off under a Libertarian government. I don’t know what would be best for anyone. I don’t even know what’s best for me. What makes me Libertarian is I don’t think anyone else really knows what’s best for anyone. My argument for Libertarianism is simple - personal morality.
I start with the Declaration of Independence: “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” So, essentially our government does what they do with my consent.
I know barely enough about Max Weber to type his name into Google, but it seems he’s credited with asserting the idea that the state has a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force. I put those two ideas together (my consent and use of physical force) and figure we all give our government the right to use force. So, the way I figure, it’s not okay for our government to use force in any situation where I personally wouldn’t use force.
For example, if I’m not willing to kill a cute cow, I shouldn’t eat steak. I don’t have to kill Bessy right now with my bare hands, but I have to be willing to snuff her if I want to chow down on a T-bone. If it’s not okay for me, it’s not okay for a slaughterhouse. Asking someone else to do something immoral is immoral. If it’s not okay for me to break David Blaine’s hands so my magic show has less competition, it’s not okay for me to ask someone else to beat him up. Someone else doing your dirty work is still your dirty work.
If I had a gun, and I knew a murder was happening, (we’re speaking hypothetically here, I’m not asking you to believe that I could accurately tell a murder from aggressive CPR), I would use that gun to stop that murder. I might be too much of a coward to use a gun myself to stop a murder or rape or robbery, but I think the use of a gun is justified. I’m even okay with using force to enforce voluntary contracts. If I were a hero, I would use a gun to protect the people who choose to live under this free system and to stop another country from attacking America. But I wouldn’t use a gun to force someone to love something like say…a library.
Look, I love libraries. I spent a lot of time in the Greenfield Public Library when I was a child. I would give money to build a library. I would ask you to give money to build a library. But, if for some reason you were crazy enough to think you had a better idea for your money than building my library, I wouldn’t pull a gun on you. I wouldn’t use a gun to build an art museum, look at the wonders of the universe through a big telescope, or even find a cure for cancer.
The fact that the majority wants something good does not give them the right to use force on the minority that don’t want to pay for it. If you have to use a gun, it’s not really a very good idea. Democracy without respect for individual rights sucks. It’s just ganging up on the weird kid, and I’m always the weird kid.
People try to argue that government isn’t really force. You believe that? Try not paying your taxes. (This is only a thought experiment though -- suggesting someone not pay their taxes is probably a federal offense, and while I may be a nut, I’m not crazy.) When they come to get you for not paying your taxes, try not going to court. Guns will be drawn. Government is force.
It’s amazing to me how many people think that voting to have the government give poor people money is compassion. Helping poor and suffering people yourself is compassion. Voting for our government to use guns to give money to help poor and suffering people is immoral self-righteous bullying laziness. People need to be fed, medicated, educated, clothed, and sheltered. If we’re compassionate, we’ll help them, but you get no moral credit for forcing other people to do what you think is right. There is great joy in helping people, but no joy in doing it at gunpoint.
I’m a Libertarian nut because I don’t want my government to do anything in my name that I wouldn’t do myself.
I don’t speak for all Libertarians any more than Sean Penn speaks for all Democrats. I’m not even sure my LP membership card is up to date. I’ve voted Libertarian as long as I can remember but I don’t really remember much before the Clintons and the Bushes. Those clans made a lot of us bugnutty. When I go on Glenn’s show he calls me a Libertarian, I think that’s my only real credential.
There are historical reasons and pragmatic reasons to be a Libertarian, but there are historic and pragmatic reasons to be a Democrat, a Republican or a Socialist. I don’t know if everyone would be better off under a Libertarian government. I don’t know what would be best for anyone. I don’t even know what’s best for me. What makes me Libertarian is I don’t think anyone else really knows what’s best for anyone. My argument for Libertarianism is simple - personal morality.
I start with the Declaration of Independence: “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” So, essentially our government does what they do with my consent.
I know barely enough about Max Weber to type his name into Google, but it seems he’s credited with asserting the idea that the state has a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force. I put those two ideas together (my consent and use of physical force) and figure we all give our government the right to use force. So, the way I figure, it’s not okay for our government to use force in any situation where I personally wouldn’t use force.
For example, if I’m not willing to kill a cute cow, I shouldn’t eat steak. I don’t have to kill Bessy right now with my bare hands, but I have to be willing to snuff her if I want to chow down on a T-bone. If it’s not okay for me, it’s not okay for a slaughterhouse. Asking someone else to do something immoral is immoral. If it’s not okay for me to break David Blaine’s hands so my magic show has less competition, it’s not okay for me to ask someone else to beat him up. Someone else doing your dirty work is still your dirty work.
If I had a gun, and I knew a murder was happening, (we’re speaking hypothetically here, I’m not asking you to believe that I could accurately tell a murder from aggressive CPR), I would use that gun to stop that murder. I might be too much of a coward to use a gun myself to stop a murder or rape or robbery, but I think the use of a gun is justified. I’m even okay with using force to enforce voluntary contracts. If I were a hero, I would use a gun to protect the people who choose to live under this free system and to stop another country from attacking America. But I wouldn’t use a gun to force someone to love something like say…a library.
Look, I love libraries. I spent a lot of time in the Greenfield Public Library when I was a child. I would give money to build a library. I would ask you to give money to build a library. But, if for some reason you were crazy enough to think you had a better idea for your money than building my library, I wouldn’t pull a gun on you. I wouldn’t use a gun to build an art museum, look at the wonders of the universe through a big telescope, or even find a cure for cancer.
The fact that the majority wants something good does not give them the right to use force on the minority that don’t want to pay for it. If you have to use a gun, it’s not really a very good idea. Democracy without respect for individual rights sucks. It’s just ganging up on the weird kid, and I’m always the weird kid.
People try to argue that government isn’t really force. You believe that? Try not paying your taxes. (This is only a thought experiment though -- suggesting someone not pay their taxes is probably a federal offense, and while I may be a nut, I’m not crazy.) When they come to get you for not paying your taxes, try not going to court. Guns will be drawn. Government is force.
It’s amazing to me how many people think that voting to have the government give poor people money is compassion. Helping poor and suffering people yourself is compassion. Voting for our government to use guns to give money to help poor and suffering people is immoral self-righteous bullying laziness. People need to be fed, medicated, educated, clothed, and sheltered. If we’re compassionate, we’ll help them, but you get no moral credit for forcing other people to do what you think is right. There is great joy in helping people, but no joy in doing it at gunpoint.
I’m a Libertarian nut because I don’t want my government to do anything in my name that I wouldn’t do myself.
You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom.. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931
~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
my hottie wife
I have the most beautiful and photogenic wife in the world.
She is an angry hellcat most of the time, but MAN is she a hottie!
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
from Senator Jim DeMint
Freedom is not a gift from government, but a right given to us by God. We believe that every human being is endowed with “certain unalienable Rights,” including “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” In 1787, our Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia to forge a new system of government, designed to “form a more perfect union” and guarantee Americans, in the words of Ronald Reagan, “the maximum of personal liberty consistent with order.”
Paramount among the reasons this system succeeded in America was our political and religious culture that accepted the inextricable connection between personal freedom and personal responsibility. It was understood that, for every question in life not answered by government, individuals, families, and neighborhoods must work out answers for themselves. The Founders knew that the natural order of things was for government to expand at the expense of personal liberty, so their Constitution was based on an implicit bargain – the less government does for you, the less government can do to you.
Today, our once-limited federal government has betrayed those founding principles. It tries to be all things to all people, yet despite its good intentions, government action usually does more harm than good. Look around: every system Washington touches – health care, education, energy, infrastructure, mortgage lending – quickly begins to break down. In some recent cases, including the automobile bankruptcies and the Wall Street bailouts, even the rule of law itself has been subordinated to the good intentions of politicians and bureaucrats. And yet government’s solution to the problems it causes is always … more government. To solve problems created by government’s role in our schools or health care, Congress now proposes a complete federal takeover of these systems!
What Washington refuses to understand is that government systems will always fail because they are not free. Private schools perform better than public schools. Private health insurance provides better care than government programs, and controls its own costs. And on and on. Without the competitive pressures and transparency of a free market, government agencies have no motivation to improve their services. After 10 years in Washington, I have concluded that both parties are slow to recognize this one simple fact: freedom works, and government doesn’t.
Paramount among the reasons this system succeeded in America was our political and religious culture that accepted the inextricable connection between personal freedom and personal responsibility. It was understood that, for every question in life not answered by government, individuals, families, and neighborhoods must work out answers for themselves. The Founders knew that the natural order of things was for government to expand at the expense of personal liberty, so their Constitution was based on an implicit bargain – the less government does for you, the less government can do to you.
Today, our once-limited federal government has betrayed those founding principles. It tries to be all things to all people, yet despite its good intentions, government action usually does more harm than good. Look around: every system Washington touches – health care, education, energy, infrastructure, mortgage lending – quickly begins to break down. In some recent cases, including the automobile bankruptcies and the Wall Street bailouts, even the rule of law itself has been subordinated to the good intentions of politicians and bureaucrats. And yet government’s solution to the problems it causes is always … more government. To solve problems created by government’s role in our schools or health care, Congress now proposes a complete federal takeover of these systems!
What Washington refuses to understand is that government systems will always fail because they are not free. Private schools perform better than public schools. Private health insurance provides better care than government programs, and controls its own costs. And on and on. Without the competitive pressures and transparency of a free market, government agencies have no motivation to improve their services. After 10 years in Washington, I have concluded that both parties are slow to recognize this one simple fact: freedom works, and government doesn’t.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Intersting Kung Fu Panda review
Source Link
Despite my natural dislike for animation movies - I like to see real people acting - I decided to give “Kung Fu Panda” a chance after a friend strongly recommended it to me. So I got myself a “Kung Fu Panda” DVD, shoved it into my laptop, thinking it would either be a highly entertaining 1.5 hours or the most boring evening I had in months. I’m happy to report it was the former; “Kung Fu Panda” is not only funny but also and more importantly a uniquely American film.
Here’s the basic story (for a longer summary, I suggest you go to WikiPedia ); a panda going by the name of Po wants to become a Kung Fu fighter but he’s ill-equipped to take on anything stronger and fiercer than bamboo. Not only is he a panda, he is also a panda who loves to eat cookies and, well, everything else. Despite his physique, Po becomes the hero of the story by beating tiger warrior Tai Lung.
It’s an incredibly funny movie - especially the scene in which Po is finally able to do the split after his teacher tells him that another fighter hides his cookies in a cupboard which is located at quite an inconvenient spot, high up at the ceiling, pushed between two walls - had me going for 15 minutes.
But what makes this movie even greater is that there’s much more to it than humor. Its message is truly American.
Sure, Po is in theory the anti-hero who can’t get anything done. True enough. But he turns out to be a real hero who, by pure dedication, succeeds in turning his weakness into his strength. Po does not merely overcome his arch-enemy Tai Lung, he overcomes the fiercest enemy of all: himself.
“Kung Fu Panda” is entertaining, a joy to watch for adults and children alike, but it’s also a movie that makes a fundamentally sound and conservative (and American! ) principle: If you work hard, you can become anything you want. You may face obstacles along the way - No, you will face obstacles - but the only one able to stop is you .
As if that’s not conservative and American enough, “Kung Fu Panda” also breaks with the average modern movie by allowing an ugly and fat panda to become the hero of the story. Po’s change takes place on the inside not the outside; he was and remains a chubby panda. This is not a film where the ugly girl becomes the beauty queen or the nerd blossoms — in this respect KFP is a nice break from our look-obsessive society.
Concluding, this animation movie perfectly combines humor with a message conservatives can believe in; no matter who you are, no matter who your parents are (Po’s father is a goose who owns a noodle soup shop), you can become everything you want, as long as you work hard and refuse to give up.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Magic the Gathering CCG
There is a popular game among the young and the geeky of our world called Magic: The Gathering. It is a collectible card game. So, you collect cards of different rarity, like sports cards, only each card can be used as a part of a bigger game.
One of the cards is featured below:
One of the cards is featured below:
Monday, January 05, 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Made up names
For the record, not only is Elspeth not made-up. Jiagie is not either.
1993-2000 Member of the Ghanna State Council Anni Jiagie
So there.
:)
Friday, December 19, 2008
Neal Peart of Rush addresses accusations of satanism and back tracking
An interesting glimpse into a strange era in rock music where everyone was considered the agents of Lucifer.
The irony is AC/DC shirts are sold in department stores, every major and minor league baseball game in the country plays Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne at least once and black metal bands have been started that actually DO promote satanism, but they get no press at all.
Here is Neal in all of his loquacious glory:
-Mook
Rock Groups Hardly Satanistic
by Neil Peart
Daily Texan, Believed to have been published July 19, 1981
Reprinted in Backstage Club Newsletter with introduction by Neil Peart, September 1983
Hi folks! I've got another little goodie for you this month. Personally I fail to understand why this subject needs to be addressed at all, but there has been such a prevalence of questions about this silliy "Satanism" business directed at our friends and ourselves, that I felt it was time to clear it up once and for all!
This little editorial was written in response to a very vicious and untrue story which a newspaper (The Daily Texan) had printed about all of these rock bands (including ourselves) who were supposed to be concealing Satanist and other anti-social messages in their songs by (get this!) recording them backwards! A real "ha ha" don't you think? Well, they didn't think so, and consequently if you find my reply a little on the strong side you will understand; they made me mad!
As to some of the ridiculous meanings I have heard attached to the "Man and Star" logo by some sick units, one hardly knows what to say! Those who are interested in such things should surely have noticed that the star is not a pentagram, it is of course an open star, which is quite a different geometric and symbolic thing. I even heard recently that there is supposed to be a subliminal "devil's face" worked into the naked man's back! Now really!
I'll tell you what. If you don't understand or care about such things, (good for you!), then just ignore the whole thing. If you are one of those who find "secret" things all over the place, do us a favour; keep it a secret-don't tell anyone! Especially not me.
All seriousness aside, I hope this finds you all well and happy. If you are one of those who attended our concerts on this tour, I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
Until next time-
Neil Peart
Editor's note: The following column was submitted by a member of the rock group Rush in response to Jim Hankins' July 19 coverage in The Daily Texan of a seminar entitled "No One Here Gets Out Alive." The seminar was sponsered by the Longhorn Christian Fellowship and centered on the theme that many popular rock music songs are trying to turn American youth against Christianity toward satanism or other religions. The group contended that either blatantly or through subliminal means, musicians convey satanic messages in their songs.
I am writing in response to an article which was written by your reporter Jim Hankins in your issue of July 19, "Group seeks to show rock 'n roll Satanic." It was awhile ago, but the article was sent to me through several intermediary steps. Besides, it's never too late to discuss a matter like this, and as I happen to be a member of one of the groups mentioned, perhaps I can interject a little rationality and truth into such a hysterical exercise in propaganda.
Satanism. Now here is a word that should be kept away from some people the way you should keep matches from children and guns from jealous husbands!
There is a certain trait evident in human nature which some people seem to possess in greater degrees. It derives from a state of insecurity and low self-esteem and shows itself in the actions of those who wish to make themselves look good by making others look bad. You see it everywhere once you start to look for it. People who can't gain respect for their own merits feel obliged to try and tear down those who do. We see it in the failures who try to prove their aloofness by criticizing the actions of those who actually do something, or in cases like this one where the weak and pusillanimous prove their righteousness by trying to punish the "less-righteous."
A big advantage to such an attitude is that it keeps them so involved in other peoples' lives that they need not examine their own.
So these are the grim-faced hypocrites who are stirring around in the dark places of life hoping to find something - anything - dirtier than their own reflection. And if they can't find anything - no problem - they'll just make something up!
And here they are accusing rock musicians of being sincere and dedicated satanists attempting to poison the souls of America's youth with subliminal messages of devil-worship. You know that's almost a very good joke! Almost.
As one who knows many of these "demonic figures" personally, especially some of those mentioned in the article, the idea of some of these sold-out, burnt-out, cynical, strutting peacocks being so deeply and religiously committed to anything (save their "image" and chart numbers) is also a bit of a joke. And a pretty lame one at that!
These nameless mercenaries don't even demonstrate that kind of commitment in their music why on earth would they be bothered to go to all that trouble to put anything else into it? All they need (and care) to do is find a kind of lowest common denominator of commercial "acceptability." Yes, you Christian crypto-fascists, it is a joke! The only problem is - you're not laughing.
I'm not laughing anymore, either. I've started to receive too many questions and letters from confused and impressionable young people wanting to know if it's true that we worship the devil. Who is it that is corrupting the minds of young Americans?
Let us not for one minute forget that this is the same self-righteous mentality that has put itself to work persecuting witches, Christians, Jews, Quakers, Indians, Catholics, Negroes, Communists, hippies and capitalists down through the ages. There's always somebody to kick you when you're down. It seems like every group has taken its turn at one end of the stick or the other. From the bitter oppressed to the righteous oppressor is a very short step.
Speaking for myself, as lyricist and drummer for "Rush", and one of those accused of this heinous crime, I must object, Your Honors. Far from being a closet Satanist, I confess crudely, I don't even believe in the old bastard! I wonder if that's better or worse in your eyes, Grand Inquisitor?
I can certainly assure you that my lyrics contain no "demonic" secret messages or cleverly concealed mystical commercials. Nothing like that, I'm afraid. It is not only absurd and pathetic, but it is also totally incompatible with my philosophy, my work and my beliefs.
I get all kinds of letters from people like this whose perceptions are narrowed and distorted by pre-set values and ideas, telling me the most fantastic things that they have somehow "discovered" in my words! As is ever true - they find what they want to find. Fair enough. I know what I put in there. It isn't that, and it isn't this either. Period.
I don't wish to offend anyone's genuine beliefs, as it is a fundamental tenet in my philosophy that people should believe what they choose to believe. It must be stated, though, that when you've "got" religion, like Siddhartha, you find it everywhere you look. And when you've got evil, you'll find it everywhere you look, too.
Ah! It's the old "recorded backwards" trick again, is it Watson? Ha! I'm sure you could play "The Star Spangled Banner" backwards and find a secret message there too. Wouldn't Francis Scott Key be surprised at your cleverness! How do you suppose he knew what it said in 1812?
Don't you think something as vague as this is rather like a Rorschach ink-blot, or cloud shapes? Interpretation is based on the perceiver's state of mind - not on any objective reality. An ink-blot is a cloud is a song - frontwards or backwards. One finds what one wishes to find.
Yes, there's something subliminal at work here all right. The subliminal and poisonous sickness that dwells in the minds of these fearful and pompous so-called Christians. And they even call themselves a "Fellowship." Think about that for a minute. Then think about what this paper and others have accomplished by giving innocent ink and paper over to this kind of drivel. You readers don't know that I would never even use the kind of grammar that these people have attributed to me, let alone the insipid and valueless supposed message. Listen to this: "Oh Satan, you, you are the one who is shining. Walls of Satan, walls of sacrifice; I know it's you are the one I love." That's disgusting. I mean really you just know these people have to be sick. If you don't believe me, ask my Mom!
The irony is AC/DC shirts are sold in department stores, every major and minor league baseball game in the country plays Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne at least once and black metal bands have been started that actually DO promote satanism, but they get no press at all.
Here is Neal in all of his loquacious glory:
-Mook
Rock Groups Hardly Satanistic
by Neil Peart
Daily Texan, Believed to have been published July 19, 1981
Reprinted in Backstage Club Newsletter with introduction by Neil Peart, September 1983
Hi folks! I've got another little goodie for you this month. Personally I fail to understand why this subject needs to be addressed at all, but there has been such a prevalence of questions about this silliy "Satanism" business directed at our friends and ourselves, that I felt it was time to clear it up once and for all!
This little editorial was written in response to a very vicious and untrue story which a newspaper (The Daily Texan) had printed about all of these rock bands (including ourselves) who were supposed to be concealing Satanist and other anti-social messages in their songs by (get this!) recording them backwards! A real "ha ha" don't you think? Well, they didn't think so, and consequently if you find my reply a little on the strong side you will understand; they made me mad!
As to some of the ridiculous meanings I have heard attached to the "Man and Star" logo by some sick units, one hardly knows what to say! Those who are interested in such things should surely have noticed that the star is not a pentagram, it is of course an open star, which is quite a different geometric and symbolic thing. I even heard recently that there is supposed to be a subliminal "devil's face" worked into the naked man's back! Now really!
I'll tell you what. If you don't understand or care about such things, (good for you!), then just ignore the whole thing. If you are one of those who find "secret" things all over the place, do us a favour; keep it a secret-don't tell anyone! Especially not me.
All seriousness aside, I hope this finds you all well and happy. If you are one of those who attended our concerts on this tour, I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
Until next time-
Neil Peart
Editor's note: The following column was submitted by a member of the rock group Rush in response to Jim Hankins' July 19 coverage in The Daily Texan of a seminar entitled "No One Here Gets Out Alive." The seminar was sponsered by the Longhorn Christian Fellowship and centered on the theme that many popular rock music songs are trying to turn American youth against Christianity toward satanism or other religions. The group contended that either blatantly or through subliminal means, musicians convey satanic messages in their songs.
I am writing in response to an article which was written by your reporter Jim Hankins in your issue of July 19, "Group seeks to show rock 'n roll Satanic." It was awhile ago, but the article was sent to me through several intermediary steps. Besides, it's never too late to discuss a matter like this, and as I happen to be a member of one of the groups mentioned, perhaps I can interject a little rationality and truth into such a hysterical exercise in propaganda.
Satanism. Now here is a word that should be kept away from some people the way you should keep matches from children and guns from jealous husbands!
There is a certain trait evident in human nature which some people seem to possess in greater degrees. It derives from a state of insecurity and low self-esteem and shows itself in the actions of those who wish to make themselves look good by making others look bad. You see it everywhere once you start to look for it. People who can't gain respect for their own merits feel obliged to try and tear down those who do. We see it in the failures who try to prove their aloofness by criticizing the actions of those who actually do something, or in cases like this one where the weak and pusillanimous prove their righteousness by trying to punish the "less-righteous."
A big advantage to such an attitude is that it keeps them so involved in other peoples' lives that they need not examine their own.
So these are the grim-faced hypocrites who are stirring around in the dark places of life hoping to find something - anything - dirtier than their own reflection. And if they can't find anything - no problem - they'll just make something up!
And here they are accusing rock musicians of being sincere and dedicated satanists attempting to poison the souls of America's youth with subliminal messages of devil-worship. You know that's almost a very good joke! Almost.
As one who knows many of these "demonic figures" personally, especially some of those mentioned in the article, the idea of some of these sold-out, burnt-out, cynical, strutting peacocks being so deeply and religiously committed to anything (save their "image" and chart numbers) is also a bit of a joke. And a pretty lame one at that!
These nameless mercenaries don't even demonstrate that kind of commitment in their music why on earth would they be bothered to go to all that trouble to put anything else into it? All they need (and care) to do is find a kind of lowest common denominator of commercial "acceptability." Yes, you Christian crypto-fascists, it is a joke! The only problem is - you're not laughing.
I'm not laughing anymore, either. I've started to receive too many questions and letters from confused and impressionable young people wanting to know if it's true that we worship the devil. Who is it that is corrupting the minds of young Americans?
Let us not for one minute forget that this is the same self-righteous mentality that has put itself to work persecuting witches, Christians, Jews, Quakers, Indians, Catholics, Negroes, Communists, hippies and capitalists down through the ages. There's always somebody to kick you when you're down. It seems like every group has taken its turn at one end of the stick or the other. From the bitter oppressed to the righteous oppressor is a very short step.
Speaking for myself, as lyricist and drummer for "Rush", and one of those accused of this heinous crime, I must object, Your Honors. Far from being a closet Satanist, I confess crudely, I don't even believe in the old bastard! I wonder if that's better or worse in your eyes, Grand Inquisitor?
I can certainly assure you that my lyrics contain no "demonic" secret messages or cleverly concealed mystical commercials. Nothing like that, I'm afraid. It is not only absurd and pathetic, but it is also totally incompatible with my philosophy, my work and my beliefs.
I get all kinds of letters from people like this whose perceptions are narrowed and distorted by pre-set values and ideas, telling me the most fantastic things that they have somehow "discovered" in my words! As is ever true - they find what they want to find. Fair enough. I know what I put in there. It isn't that, and it isn't this either. Period.
I don't wish to offend anyone's genuine beliefs, as it is a fundamental tenet in my philosophy that people should believe what they choose to believe. It must be stated, though, that when you've "got" religion, like Siddhartha, you find it everywhere you look. And when you've got evil, you'll find it everywhere you look, too.
Ah! It's the old "recorded backwards" trick again, is it Watson? Ha! I'm sure you could play "The Star Spangled Banner" backwards and find a secret message there too. Wouldn't Francis Scott Key be surprised at your cleverness! How do you suppose he knew what it said in 1812?
Don't you think something as vague as this is rather like a Rorschach ink-blot, or cloud shapes? Interpretation is based on the perceiver's state of mind - not on any objective reality. An ink-blot is a cloud is a song - frontwards or backwards. One finds what one wishes to find.
Yes, there's something subliminal at work here all right. The subliminal and poisonous sickness that dwells in the minds of these fearful and pompous so-called Christians. And they even call themselves a "Fellowship." Think about that for a minute. Then think about what this paper and others have accomplished by giving innocent ink and paper over to this kind of drivel. You readers don't know that I would never even use the kind of grammar that these people have attributed to me, let alone the insipid and valueless supposed message. Listen to this: "Oh Satan, you, you are the one who is shining. Walls of Satan, walls of sacrifice; I know it's you are the one I love." That's disgusting. I mean really you just know these people have to be sick. If you don't believe me, ask my Mom!
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