Trailers In Short - Everything Old Is Reused Again Edition

Old ideas have long been drudged back up to use. Sometimes it's a creative choice. Sometimes it's a return to a classic. Sometimes it just boggles the mind. Let's see where Paddington the Bear, Mad Max, Moses, a woeful space station crew, the Equalizer, and...others fall on the scale.

Paddington

Oh, Paddington. There is a slight cuteness to this trailer. But then we actually get to Paddington. He feels like so many modern takes on older kiddie characters...Just off.

Now I did actually go back to the old Paddington Bear cartoons to try and remind myself what he was like decades back. I am not as enamored of those shows now as I was as a kid. But it is hard not to see the differences.

This may well click with little kids. Ear wax. Flooding a bathroom and surfing out. But it does feel sad that most all studios have given up on the idea that kids can enjoy with stories that aren't wildly wilder stories of popular characters. (Did you see what they did to Postman Pat?)

I think the thing that was really most off putting about the trailer was that all the added wackiness makes iconic Paddington so much more like every other character put out for kids. He's been made more generic.

But, this may just be a horrible ad. Maybe better will follow.

Meeting of Minds: John Oliver and Pepe Julian Onziema

John Oliver had a sober and sarcastic look at Uganda and it's anti-gay laws. In the US many of us have been interested in what has been called the Kill The Gays law. But, as we do, we got bored with all of that. And then most of us deleted most of our anger, opinions, and facts of the law from our heads. John Oliver nicely reintroduces us to the matters.

For instance, while Uganda had some social and legal issues with gay people, the last several years has seen a significant and hateful uptick. What started with uptight British colonials is now a matter of American Conservative intervention. The Religious Right has worked to motivate the local religious communities hate, and pushed them to make changes to the law.

And then we had those freaking politicians. Another topic you may have decided to forget about is C Street and The Family. People like Jeff Sharlet did solid work bringing out the truth of this group of politicians who were tied by their religious zeal and interest in making hateful law. They've screwed people over in this country, but always have time for other countries.

So preachers and politicians have worked to bring about their dream of a hateful and homogeneous society. Not to leave out the elements of Uganda society eager to embrace hate and fear.

If you've followed news and conversations in Uganda, you've seen the fear, hate, and ignorance spread about being gay. (Stephen Fry spent some time their and showed the outright ignorance of the anti-gay advocates in his Out There documentary.) They repeatedly claim all gay people are "converting straight people. And, on having sex...You have to doubt they even understand sex between males and females.

But for a mix of stuff that will make you laugh, scream, curse, and try to hope, have some John Oliver. Also, get to know the fascinating and brace Pepe Julian Onziema, an open LGBT advocate in Uganda. He's quite a remarkable man.


From Last Week Tonight with John Oliver:



And in addition to the show, some more of their conversation presented online.

Saint Patrick's Day: The Céilidh Has Started! *UPDATED*

Cribbing again from last March 17th...You know what that means...

Sniff my butt, I'm Irish.

It's that Saint Patrick's Day season yet again.

So get yourselves up and get to work aping Irish culture. You know, wearing green, wearing funny hats, talking in a funny accents, and... getting plastered on watery American beer?

And that's the feast day of St. Patrick!

Okay, okay. I know I have been one to point out that holidays grow and change, and break out of cultures or religions. And St. Patrick's has done that to an extent. But it is also odd to me that it's a national holiday as well. All so people can act out certain stereotypes.  I'm not fond of perpetuating stereotypes. 

Of course, it's also become a day that the Irish like to promote cultural awareness. Like Italians and other cultures that settled in the United States, the Irish struggled on for years to even be considered white. Yes, American culture and politics of that day refused to see many Europeans as white. There were places where the Irish and other cultures (like black and Hispanic people) were denied entrance, living spaces, or use of facilities. (But the Irish and Italians were eventually welcomed as equals ( unlike other groups). So getting people to join in to your celebration can be a point of merging with the greater culture. 

As well, like Mardi Gras and Christmas, this day is also just an excuse to have a party, do some dancing, and, maybe, wear some green. ...And I do love green.


But let's get back to it's origins. (Now YOU Must Learn. HAHAHAHAHA!)


March 17th is deemed to be the date of St. Patrick of Ireland's death. It's said he was then buried at Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, Down County. Common for the day, St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, was never officially canonized by a pope and church. It was more a regional decision. But from that start his sainthood has been embraced by the Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal  and Orthodox churches. It took time for him to gain acceptance, but more and more he was acknowledged in the church. So, he got a feast day, and became a rallying point in Irish culture. But that's the end of the his tale.

Looking at the start is a little trickier. He is considered to be a Romano-Brit, of noble birth. His family had been in the religion business at that point for generations. Early in his life he was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave. He later was able to return to Britain. He entered the Church then, and after rising to bishop was sent back to Ireland to convert the island to Catholicism (and fight crime as a proto-Zorro -- But that may just be my own head canon. Or I may be confusing the Green Bishop with the Green Hornet.). And with that he descends into legend.

The trouble with stories and writing of Patrick's time in Ireland is that it is not necessarily clear what is him and what is others that were evangelizing before and after him in Ireland. As often happens when cobbling together history, legends, or parables, the names may be changed and events altered to protect the innocent...or just make a better/easier to understand story.

Before Patrick was sent to Ireland, Palladius was sent to Ireland on the same mission, becoming the first bishop in Ireland. So some of his writings, words, and actions likely were blended in to the activities of Patrick.

But Patrick is remember for the overall effort to bring Christianity to dominance in Ireland. Which did occur. (And once the Magdalene Asylums were set up, it was smooth sailing for Ireland. We will be taking no questions.) That is where the imagery of St. Patrick driving the snakes out comes from, the conversion of people from Druidic faith to his own (We'll hope it was just converting.). It may be similar to the story of St. George and his "dragon".

It's like the story of his walking stick which would become a tree. The story goes he would plant it in the ground and preach. Then when he found it had taken root in the place, he would move on. Get it! It's alluding to something. It's cute...kinda.

Then their is the embrace of the shamrock, three-leafed clover. It is said that Patrick used it to describe the concept of a Holy Trinity (Insert your own sex act joke here. Whoa hey!), and then carried and wore them as a symbol to people. They say that.

Trouble is, can you actually tie the shamrock to any of his direct teachings. Because it seems to only arise as tied to him more than 1,000 years after his death. So, like with so many tales and legends, St. Patrick may have been rebooted and upgraded. Perhaps shamrocks had started to be used as a symbol of trinity or the crucifix, perhaps it had become more significant to people, and it was decided to go back and tie it to this significant religious figure.

Going back long before Patrick, the shamrock was a revered image in Ireland. It was green, which was an important symbol to them. And it represented the number three, also significant to the early peoples of Ireland. So it is not hard to imagine, like in other lands and times, Christian proselytizers taking advantage of the symbol and it's parallels to further sell the faith. It's just a question of if it was a practice predating Patrick, of his making (but no records survived), or just adopted later on. I could not say. Still, no one cares, and here we are, with a shamrock. And people seem to love them.

But what about the vaunted four-leaf clover then? If the three-leafer represents the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, what's the fourth one for then? This...

Finally! A positive image of Ireland.

Yes, yes, their is a corny explanation:

"The first is for faith, the second is for hope, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck."

But, come on! Leprechauns. Leprechauns! That's where it's at. It's always the answer.

At least it's better than faith, hope, love, and luck...Yeesch.


So, a millennia later all the pieces were falling in place for St. Patrick's Day.

• We have the snakes. 

Though I think most of us forget about them. They aren't dragons.

• We have our shamrocks.

Good for shakes, pendents, and easily recognizable Irish logos.

• We also have parades.

...Which aren't an Irish or Patricky idea at all... It's an American thing. But the Irish have taken to it...after 200 years. I'll be honest, and say I'm not big on parades. But if you like them, it's your lucky day.

• And there's the beer.

Beer. As I noted in looking at Mardi Gras, we are in Lent now. So I wondered how a St. Patrick feast day would work. And even in Ireland their are times during which bars were required to be closed on the 17th. Apparently, most Catholic churches give dispensation for people to eat and drink on the 17th. A loophole to fasting in the in the Catholic Church, I don't believe it! Still, any out on fasting is a good one. So enjoy!

...Unless your gay, apparently.

Many of the parades around the United States are happy to specifically ban gay people and groups from being included. Is this really what those in charge want to represent about their culture? It does not make Irishness or Catholicism look good. Not at all.

At least we know that the mayors of Chicago and New York are boycotting. Also the beer makers, Heineken and Guinness are no longer supporting these parades. If you don't have Guinness approving of your St. Pat's parade, you must be doing something very wrong.

________
UPDATE:

Sometimes people say that Rupert Murdoch is actually liberal, but hides it for the sake of profits.

But then you have times like today. Seems that in the wake of Guinness pulling out support for the New York City St. Patrick's Day parade, Murdoch has gone to Twitter to denounce Guinness, and call for it to be boycotted.

Apparently Guinness is cruelly not supporting a "religious parade". Also, the gays are all bullies.

...So gay people are the ones victimizing? ...And Guinness is obliged to fund religious events that it doesn't want to fund? Is that because of FREEDOM, AND STUFF? And that parade is not religious. It's visited largely by non-Catholics, and is a chance to party. So, please!

Still, if anyone wants to tell you that Murdoch is really secretly a sweetie, you know more surely now that's bunk.

And I do love that he's calling for all Irish to boycott Guinness. Yeah, an Australian who lives in London and New York is lecturing the Irish about their own beloved national drink. HA!

Oh, Krampus Night Alright

Thursday night was the Night of the Krampus. It's no Night of the Demon...it's better.

I'll be honest. I had not heard of the Krampus before I saw it on the show Venture Brothers. And I was pleased to learn that it was actually a real concept, and a popular one to boot, in some parts of the world.

Krampus in Austria

Yes. The Krampus is still with us. And it's even something people dress up as, like Santa Claus.

There are even parades.


The Krampus is meant to be a demonic looking being of central Europe. It acts to terrify children, as a lead up to St. Nicholas Day (No, it's not Christmas. It's December 5th). Sometimes he swats at kids with branches. Most of the times he's covered his chains and bells, tinkling away. You can hear him coming for you. And, as the story sometimes go, he'll carry off bad little kids to their doom.

The Krampus (adults eagerly dressed up in furs, horns, scary masks, bells, and chains) will travel around a town, welcomed into businesses and even homes, searching for bad children.

In some cases he'll appear with St. Nicholas. In others he's met by a Jesus figure.But in some places, the Krampus is a lone figure to celebrate. And it is a celebration. Libation. Winter laughs. And wishes to make it to the next Spring.

The character is an ancient one, going back to pre-Christian Europe. (In some cases it's seen as a child of the Scandanavian goddess Hel) He is a shaggy goat horned fellow, looking for the booze, and kids to punish. And as a figure it's spread through Central Europe, even in some spots in North America.

For a time, once Christianity arrived, the Krampus was pushed back against (like many pagan figures and celebrations). Through the Inquisition, it was suppressed. But, finally, it was embraced and made part of the festivities (like many pagan figures and celebrations).

It adds a nice texture to the Christmas season. Santa brings good kids gifts. Krampus goes out and brings bad kids punishment. A balance.

May the Krampus not come for you this cold night.


__________
UPDATED:

I changed the night in question to Thursday...It's late.

Giving Everyday - Giving to good causes

Today is called by some Giving Tuesday, a counter to the consumerism, and just a reminder to invest in bettering the world around you. There are many places you can give money. Or time. Or moral support.

One such choice is the Salvation Army, a Christian organization. They spread out earlier and earlier each year. Ringing bells. Giving you expectant looks. And they do some good work. They can and do help people. And, people out there ringing away, are people that get hired for the season for a small wage.

But they are also not friendly to gay people. It's part of their religious tenets. Workers have been turned away for being gay. And there are stories of gay people being refused shelter. It isn't a representation of the whole group. But there are question marks in their policy. They say they are trying to do better, but how much is yet to be seen.

They have also run into other issues. Past treatment of union families. A large number of child abuse cases in Australia. And questions of mismanagement in some areas.

And, as it is, I would prefer to give to organizations that will not be funding religious efforts or antigay efforts. I like to find groups that are apart from that messiness.

So, as an alternative, let me suggest some of the numerous organizations out there that are more secularly focused, and not limiting where or how they aid.

Groups to support:

• Amnesty International - They campaign for the human rights of people around the world.
• Direct Relief - This organization works to improve health and lives of people affected by poverty, or emergency situations.
• Doctors Without Borders - Made up primarily of health care facilitators, they operate in 60 countries, helping people dealing with disasters and violence. 
• Engineers Without Borders - Support local efforts to work on development projects.They work on projects including, drinking water access, sanitation, and roads.
• Feed America - The organization works to help feed those in need of food. They do this with food banks. (And with the cuts to SNAP, they are in desperate need.)
• Goodwill - This organization works to give job training, employment, and other services for the disabled.
• Humanist Charities - Tied to the American Humanist Association, it offers aid in matters of health and welfare via a humanist approach.
• Madre - An international women's human rights group that addresses the wide range of issues affecting women in local communities.
• Planned Parenthood - Health care providers, educators, and advocates for health care access and knowledge. They work to guarantee a right to make one's own informed reproductive decisions. Also, to ensure those in poverty to have access to support. They also are at work on a global level.
• Red Cross - A well known organization, it does good work on disaster relief, producing almost half of the United States' blood supply, and offering training on health.
• UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund - They focus on children's interest around the globe. They work in many areas, including immunization, education, and emergency relief.

Not as direct, but important, the fighters for free speech and privacy.

More groups:

• American Civil Liberties Union - The organization works to preserve First Amendment rights.
• Electronic Frontiers Foundation - An organization that works to preserve digital rights. Among it's focuses are privacy, free speech, and consumer rights.
• Comic Book Legal Defense Fund - An organization focused on preserving First Amendment rights in the comic field, for artists to produce and readers to access.

Trailers in Short - Sherlock, Noah', and some more Doctor Who

Time for some more trailers. It's almost time for the return of Sherlock. Will the Ark float? And the day of the doctor may have passed, but what of the Christmas of the Doctor(s)?


Sherlock

It's almost time for Sherlock to return. And Watson has a mustache? Maybe that's why Sherlock took his time coming back, having second thoughts. But I'm ready for it to be back.

The Religious Exemption. It's Principle, Except When It's Not.

There have been some constant battles since the latest effort to create a more comprehensive access to health insurance began. But one has been increasingly annoying, galling, and disingenuous. The demand for a religious exemption for businesses.

The idea is that some businesses are owned by religious people, and those people may oppose abortion and/or birth control, or common sense. Comprehensive health insurance would help pay for things like those listed. So, they should not have to offer comprehensive health insurance to their workers. They should be exempt from part of the law.

And many people love the idea of a "compromise" on this. The compromise being that you just let religious institutions deny people basic preventative health care...cause [holy writing of your choice]. And you let businesses with religious owners do the same. And in exchange, nonreligious owners can actually take care of their employees. It is interesting how saying you want to deny someone something for religious reasons sound reasonable to so many people...But that's for another post.

In July two federal appeals courts decided that it was ridiculous for a business to have a religion, as opposed to it's owners. But that is not where the story ended. Last week the federal appeals court decided to agree on how unfair comprehensive health insurance is on the pious.

... 

Requiring companies to cover their employees’ contraception, the court ruled, is unduly burdensome for business owners who oppose birth control on religious grounds, even if they are not purchasing the contraception directly. 

“The burden on religious exercise does not occur at the point of contraceptive purchase; instead, it occurs when a company’s owners fill the basket of goods and services that constitute a healthcare plan,” Judge Janice Rogers Brown wrote on behalf of the court.  

...

It is an interesting point, I grant you. Is it unfair/unconscionable/unacceptable to force people of religious faith to fund and pay money into services that they feel contravene their religious tenets?

Should people be forced to pay for sinful stuff?


Well, I tried to think if there were any other good examples I could draw on for legal rulings. Then I recalled religious pacifism. For some war and fighting is unconscionable, a violation of the will of their god. And, as many point out, tax dollars go to many places in the government, including to the military.

MPR Photo/Elizabeth Stawicki

So, when a pacifist pays taxes, they pay for the ability to go to war. And during a war, they fund that war. So, should religious pacifist be exempt from taxes? Or, should special means be put in place to assure that their tax dollars cannot be used by the military? Should steps be taken to respect and maintain their religious concerns.

Lucky for us, a Quaker, Priscilla Adams, brought the question to court.

Back in 2003, you may remember it (we were at war), her fight with the government came to a head. Going back to 1996 she had been suing the government, saying that she and others had valid religious grounds to have protections against their money being used to fund the military. As part of her religious convictions. Adams for years had been refusing to pay part of her federal taxes.

The response from the government was to demand that she pay her back taxes, and a 50% penalty. She fought this, and worked to try and keep them from placing a lean on her wages to put money towards wars.

So the fight went up the judicial ladder. And, in 2003, the federal appeals courts rules against her. And then the Supreme Court chose to pass on offering an opinion. The courts had spoken.

The result, you may have religious grounds to not pay a portion of your taxes, but the courts, Congress, and the federal government don't care. Pay the taxes and pray for forgiveness.

That is quite a different view from what we are seeing now. Now when we consider should religious people be forced to fund services that may go to things like birth control, the courts say that it's wrong. (wag a finger) These people cannot be placed in this position. The law says everyone should be able to access the full array of preventative health. But, screw that...Religion. Religion trumps all...now.

Funny.

I wonder if religious pacifist should go to court again? They might have a chance now. Doesn't it follow? Shouldn't these grounds be sound enough for them to fight against tax paying? It does seem like the same strain of argument. Or, do supporters of ACA religious exemptions still hold the old opinion that if religion is getting in the way of funding the military, you should suck it up and fund the military?

I do get a feeling that many might have this attitude. That abortion and birth control are the legit religious concerns, the respectable ones. I'd like to think that's wrong, but at a minimum, I don't see religious conservatives as bothered by the Quaker's plight. They seem like they'd be first in line to condemn the Quakers.

But this ruling may not stand. This will be going to the Supreme Court...hmm. Okay, I' not feeling better with that thought. Will the court have their 90's attitude to religious exemptions? Or, will they have the oppose President Obama attitude?

Half the court is already friendly to attacking access to education, voting rights, and the ACA as a whole. That group will most likely be happy to further establish religious prominence over law. As it is, I think there is already a case coming up that may do this in one way.

I guess we will see. Because we are stuck waiting while conservatives play their petty games. And religious exemptions are such a petty game.

On Carl Sagan Day

It's Carl Sagan's birthday today. And in remembrance of him and his work today is considered Carl Sagan Day. His efforts to popularize science were invaluable. His advocacy of skepticism, compassion, and appreciation of just how delicate our place ion the cosmos is, inspires so many to this day.

So let's remember him by his words.


What do we do now?






And one of Sagan's last interviews. He talks about his book, The Demon Haunted World (great book), skepticism, faith, importance of understanding science, etc.


Part 1




Part 2




Part 3

REBLOGGING: Remember, remember, the 5th of November: Folklore and History

I posted about Guy Fawkes Day and it’s history last year. So, here we are again.

And, this still seems a strange celebration. A look back at a barbaric fight between religious rivals.

Still, any excuse for fireworks?

____

Remember, remember, the 5th of November: Folklore and History

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,the Gunpowder Treason and Plot, 

I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot.Guy Fawkes, t’was his intent to blow up King and Parliament. 

Three score barrels were laid below to prove old England’s overthrow;By God’s mercy he was catch’d with a dark lantern and lighted match. 

Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring. Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King! 

Hip hip hoorah!

This is a pretty well-known poem detailing the events of the Gunpowder Plot,  and remembered every November 5^th in England, on Guy Fawkes Day. (There is a second verse to this poem, not as popular these days, that goes into killing and mutilating the Pope. Music and poetry is full of so many forgotten verses like that.) Guy Fawkes day has become a time to have an excuse for some fireworks, a bonfire, and some fun. 

But that's not how it all began.

The Gunpowder Plot was an attempt by a group of Catholics intent on unseating King James I from the English throne, so that his daughter, Elizabeth, could be put on in his place, and usher in a return to Catholic power in England.

Going back to King Henry VIII, there was a back and forth struggle on whether the state religion would be Anglican or Catholic. And after years of Anglicanism under Elizabeth I and James I, some catholic leaders were eager to revert back. 

So, on the day of the State Opening of Parliament, in 1605, when the nobles and king all came to the House of Lords to have their bit of pomp, outside their lives of pomp, barrels of gunpowder were secreted under the parliament.

36 barrels were placed. It was enough to destroy the House of Lords, at least. So have theorized how much more of the area around would have been destroyed as well, and how many more would have died that day.

George Cruikshank's illustration of Guy Fawkes
, published in William Harrison Ainsworth's 1840 novel

Guy Fawkes was the member of the conspiracy tasked to oversee the barrels under the streets. And when information was passed of the threat to parliament and king, a search was made, and Fawkes was caught, sitting on the evidence. 

Fawkes was an English Catholic who had gone on to served Spain as a soldier in war. He returned to England eager to overthrow the government. His efforts led him to join this plot. And that led him to be hung, then drawn and quartered.

The focus on Fawkes seems to come from his being caught in the act, drug from beneath parliament. It must have caught the imagination. Others fled London, and died fighting. 7 others survived to be tried along with Fawkes, and suffered the same fate. 

But Fawkes became the focus, with a holiday, a poem, and a level of praise and infamy that has lasted 4 centuries.

But the audacious plot he was involved in, a massive bomb to wipe out the monarchy and government of a major nation, seems to have gotten the historic blur. 
It's like people talking about raping and pillaging. It sounds all old timey. But it means women were raped, people were murdered, homes were burned down, crops destroyed, and valuables and goods stolen. Their is nothing nice, fun, or funny in the term. But it's old timey, so...What the hell!

So consider Fawkes and King James. 

Guy Fawkes was clearly a amazingly pious person. After his mother married a Catholic man, he converted to the faith. And he left the country to fight for the strongest of Catholic nations against Protestant ones. Then he embraced the idea that his homeland needed to be brought back into the True Faith by any mean. The result of this was his agreement to a plan in which the government, the king, the queen, the princes, their servants, and anyone within range would die. It was a holy duty, to kill the Protestant king, and anyone who got in his way.

That is horrific. Magnitude of the slaughter. Not hard to feel how people were stirred to rage at the very idea of this destruction. The assault on the state, to wipe it out, and install a new ruler and a new religion. Not hard to appreciate the horror at how close they were able to get to destroying one's state and leaders. This was a monstrous plan.

But what of James? King James is a piece of work. If you've heard of or read the King James Bible, you know a small bit about this man. He was a very pious and worried man. He faced repeated attempts on his life as king, not just the Gunpowder Plot. And before that, all that back and forth plotting in Scotland, lead to his mother, Mary, being exiled, and his father, Darnley, suffering a suspicious death. He was treated as a pawn, to be shaped to act as a King of Scotland. And then, he was made the English King. 

Through his study of his Protestant faith he was drawn to become increasingly concerned of the threat of the Devil, and witches. He became convinced witches were acting to murder him, and was at one trial of a woman accused of such an attempt. He also personally oversaw the torture of women believed to be witches. In this time he wrote a book on witches for people to use, Daemonologie. It explained witches and advised on the hunting of them. These ideas also made it into his version of the bible, with a change to one passage to say, "Thou shall not suffer a witch." 

As King of England, James was interested in fully joining his Scotland and England. He also wanted to bring peace to England and Spain. Though he still maintained a religious and legal hostility to Catholicism. Still, in 1604, the war between the 2 nations ended. Then the plot came in the following year.

James can be a troubling figure, in how he was drawn into fear and paranoia of witches. His engaging personally in the torture of women is disturbing. His work has gone on to be used to bring a lot of suffering. 

But in the end what Guy Fawkes was doing was not to free England, it was a Mission from God, it was for the sake of God's Will, and that of the Church.


November 5th celebrates an almost successful mass murder and regicide by a group of religious fanatics. 

Diwali. On the Day of Lights.

The Golden Temple at Diwali

I am not one for religion, but I do enjoy a good compassionate tradition. Still, when it comes to religious tradition I always wonder if I should talk about them. On top of everything else, it isn't my tradition. Can I explain it well enough?

Yet for most of us, the traditions of the "other" religions are utterly alien, even when they consist of around one seventh of the world's population. (Yes, I am speaking of Hinduism. -- as well as Sikhism). So I hope I can, at least, bring some awareness and appreciation of these facets of our world.


Today is Diwali. the festival of lights

It is an interesting and enjoyable celebration. And it is a shame it's not more widely enjoyed and appreciated, for at least the spectacle it is.

Showkat Shafi - Al Jazeera

The point of the festivities is to celebrate the victory of light over dark, or good beating back evil. This ties into various Hindu beliefs and stories. For some, it's the return of Rama and Sita to rule their kingdom, Ayodhya, after a 14 year exile. In response to their return, the citizens lit lamps covering the city. (This occurs in the work, Ramayana.) Then there is the celebration of the victory of Krishna over Narakassura. Then there is the idea of celebrating Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Then there's the remembrance of Mahavira achieving nirvana. And in other places, it celebrates aspects of the goddess Kali. It has many meaning.

Yes, it has many religious meanings. But in the beginning it came out of ancient harvest celebrations. And that's something any culture should be able to grasp and enjoy. It also helps reflect South Asian culture, which too many of us are quite oblivious too, while all so concerned about what happen there.


What is Diwali?

Diwali means row of lighted lamps, or lights. And from the images that come out of the annual celebration, it is easy to understand just why.

Joe Mahoney - Times-Dispatch

To celebrate, every year at this time families and communities put on a celebration. Candles and lamps are lit, to bring the light into the night. (As per tradition, the lighted lamps draw in Lakshmi.) Decorations are put up. Sweets are made and gleefully consumed.

A rangoli.

Part of the tradition for many is giving the house a good cleaning, buying new clothes to wear, and drawing rangoli (patterns, often of a lotus) on the ground. As well, gifts of gold are often given. Gifts of fruits and sweets also can be given.

Gambling is another tradition. Diwali is said to be a time during which gamblers are looked down on positively. If one gambles, they will be blessed with prosperity in the coming.

And then there are the fireworks. In some traditions, it is meant to show higher powers how happy we are. But they also can help make the watchers plenty happy

Always remember, it's a festival, a party, a holiday! And every place populations celebrate, people bring their own style and sensibilities to the partying.

Reuters

In some countries, the house is given a good cleaning, new clothes are bought and worn as part of the celebrations, and gifts of sweets and fruits are given. Then, the communal celebrations. Lights are strewn all around. And fireworks are set off.

Hopefully this gives some of you a superficial, but interesting understanding of what many (around a billion people) are celebrating today. It can be such a happy time. It is a time for hope. It is a time to look at the world and see the good in it. It is a time to put a fresh foot forward as you step into a new day.


Not a bad idea. So, Happy Diwali to those that celebrate it. And to everyone, a hope that you take the spirit of doing good to heart, see the good around you in the world, and realize there is always time and an opportunity to make positive changes in life.

If it was a Conscious Clause, the GOP would be embarrassed by themselves.

As we've seen this weekend, the House Republicans introduced a "conscious clause" into the ongoing budget debate.

This isn't a matter where they want to address a budgetary expense, to claim something, like the ACA, is a fiscal burden for the country. No. This is just an addendum on their other crazy ideas, to take away access to birth control from as many women as they can.

The idea is that if you, the business owner, decide that preventative health care for women is morally or religiously objectionable, you get to opt out. So you, as a business owner, have an out to slash your health care expenses...while taking a religious/moral stand...of course.

But even if you are taking some stand, call this a conscious clause or a matter of Religious Freedom, it is the same thing. This is putting women in a separate and inferior category. This is saying that the preventative health needs of women do not stack up as worthwhile or acceptable as those of men. Sexual health issues of men are clean. The sexual health issues of women aren't clean, and actually troubling. So when someone wants to boot out women's access to The Pill, or other contraception, we'll allow it. I mean, they have "moral objections". How can we not acquiesce to someone having a moral objection. Sure, contraception is medically valid...but I know a church that doesn't like it.

Their are a number of religions opposed to blood transfusions. There are people who morally object to vaccination. No one cares. No one will take access to this stuff away.


Already we've seen a ridiculous exemption given to religious institutions to not have to have any cover even allowed in their health care coverage. Many don't only hire people of their faith. They can't directly control what they do on their own time (have unacceptable relationships, dress unacceptably, say unacceptable things), but they can control this. And the government gave them that power over people.

The Koch Brothers want to be sure they have that power. So does Hobby Lobby, Chick Fil-A, and many others.

The end result that conservatives hope for in this is a stigmatization of birth control. To convince us that birth control or abortion it's all evil.  They want women to struggle. They want society to look in fear at sex.


Did I mention this was a budget battle?

Because we are currently looking at a budget battle, and the risk that the government will shut down.

And the House GOP decided to lob this into the strife we are already besot by. Unbelievable.

No. Unacceptable.

And the Right Wing clowns cheer this on, even lauding a debt default by the United States. They are fools giddily dancing their way through a raging fire.

Santorum and the zealots - Convictions aren't all equal

Rick Santorum is back. (And to rehash and old joke, "No. Don't google it.")

He was recently on Meet the Press (Why was he on MTP, people? He’s an unemployed zealot.). While there...dropping off a job application???...he hinted he was up for running in 2016. For president. Again.

Why? Because theirs money and power in doing it.

Why would anyone support him? Because he says the horrible things a small minority of this country desperately wants to hear on stages across the country. Hurtful nasty things.

And you know what? It can work. NO! He can’t be president. I don’t think the GOP is that addled of mind yet. But he can ride on his nastiness and zealousness for a while and get some love for it.

Remember last time around? He had a few days where people were starting to think he had a serious shot at the Republican nomination. That was some crazy thinking. But Herman Cain was getting the same talk. Every nut had their day.

Yet more than the base and some pundits were giving him credit. The media did. He would say mean and cruel things, and the media actually said, “He’s talking from the heart.” “He’s a straight shooter.” “He’s a man of convictions.”

They said that stuff as conviction were meritorious qualities in an of itself. 

He’s a zealot. He plays off some of the worst impulses in humans. He’s backwards thinking. But he’s forthrightly backwards. How refreshing.

It seems in the world of political word games and spin, having convictions is blurred with having substance. Having weight. Having value in what you say.

That's crap.

Blurting out things, like how horrible black people are is none of those things. Even if you really really mean it.

No. You want to talk about convictions that matter, look at a real example, another Christian you talked the talk and walked the walk. ...No, I am talking talking about Jesus. (Geez. Is everything about Jesus with you?)

Let's talk one Fred Rogers.

Rogers, along with being a long time host on PBS, was also a Christian minister. Not that you would know from his show, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. He didn't need to throw it in your face. He just lived his beliefs. Beliefs and convictions centered around being kind to everyone, listening to people (in particular kids), being reassuring and supportive to those you meet, and being openly friendly and giving day in and out. And when other religious voices were out  belittling gay people, he outright refused to join in. Instead, he kept to his philosophy. He loved them for who they were.

That's some nice stuff. And it affected people. He would argue to support children television (and making it meaningful). He would reach out and do whatever he could when someone asked, or he heard their was a need. He was a guy that was almost unreal in his compassion that sharing his impact has become an Internet meme.

He affected so many lives. He made so many bad times for kids, and others, better. He mattered.

He was a man of convictions. He lived by values and beliefs. Good values and beliefs.

Sadly people like Rick Santorum have a lot to learn to be anything like Fred Rogers. And, if he was still around, Fred Rogers would have been their with open arms willing to give him a chance to become a better human being.

People really should appreciate the difference between good and bad convictions. They aren't all equal.

Learning after last week.

This last week has been an intense news week in the United States. It quickly got to the point that we largely became oblivious to what was happening elsewhere in the world (Yes, and the obvious joke is, "And that's new?" ha ha). So, logically I would talk about what we've been missing (bombings in Iraq, Chinese earthquake, etc.). But no, I want to address what the US has been through this week.

So, Boston. Patriots Day turned terrifying in Boston. The two bombs placed near the finish lines, thankfully, did not kill more, but more than a hundred were cruelly injured; some lost limbs, and three died. As with any terror act, fear flittered through the city and on the news. And some news resources were eager to get out information, real, confirmed, or not. I have not seen a clear indication yet how many additional people spreading bad information or rumors endangered this week.

Then, slowly information, streamed out, the police and FBI narrowed down the threat, and the media was still too eager. Worse though pundits and talking heads couldn't resist starting fights and finding ways to push nonsensical agenda bullet-points.

• We shouldn't put in background checks on guns, because of this.
• We have to close our borders, because...foreigners.

Then we learned who the bombers were. Young men, two brothers, who immigrated from Chechnya and Russia with their families, who were also Muslim. And it ramps up.

• We need guns!
• See! We let these immigrants in and they are all terrorists!
• We need to catch them and hand them over to the military!

And finally they were caught up to. One brother dead, the other fled. Finally the other was found and captured. Injured, he was taken to hospital. The decision, as of now, is to not mirandize him...yet.

• He's an enemy combatant!
• People "like this" should never be mirandized.
• Muslims shouldn't be allowed to immigrate.

Now this is a complicated question to me, rights vs public safety. We have had a "public safety" rule for awhile now in the US. It allows for Miranda reading to be delayed, and extend holding people. What do I think of that?

Sigh...Miranda rights are important. And it was a hard right to get police to guarantee. Before it, many people had their constitutional rights abused. Many police abused the accused. And, many like the idea of rolling back Miranda, and have wanted to since it was established.

BUT. Public safety. The idea that law enforcement would delay the evidence taking process to determine risks seems acceptable; it depends though on if the fact it is pre-Miranda is respected. Sometimes their are abducted people to recover, a possible bomb threat, or shooter to find. If we are going to separate what is admissible in court from the public safety work, it makes sense. Public safety should trump a conviction.

BUT. But if the information being taken will be used as evidence, that is wrong. We need to respect out law and process; why else have them? As well, it does worry we a little. It's an exception to Miranda. Creating exceptions to basic critical legal rights is worrisome. Once you say their is a space where you can just hold people indefinitely, and can classify for the greater good, you have to be vigilant for abuse, or expansion of uses. We citizens need to be cognizant of what is going on and hold criminals and the systems accountable. It is one of our basic duties.

I hope we will soon see this guy mirandized, and then we can get to arraigning him. (At present, he is apparently awake and communicating. So we'll see.)

But it is curious this week how eager conservatives are to fight hard for the 2nd Amendment, while not particularly caring for the 5th. But I've seen a lot of contempt for plenty of the amendments (15th, 19th).

Veering over to immigration...I just wish it was surprising to see conservatives take any opportunity to demonize immigrants. Really digging deep into that dark place of human fear. I expect better, and seldom get it.

But there has been the good to. In the wake of those explosions, people were there for each other. Stopping bleeding, getting people to help, reaching out with compassion. It was heartening to see. It is a reminder of what we can and do do.

And the emergency services worked just as they are meant to. As one person put it, they are the people that run towards the screaming and explosions as a daily function. We out it to appreciate just what these government workers do and endure. Better than allowing them to be lambasted and belittled as unnecessary and wasteful. It is in times of disaster that we remember just why we rely on all of these people, and why people take these jobs, even when the pay isn't the best.

It was a very sad and painful week in Boston. But in the midst of it, we were shown some of the light that exists within our society.

And then their was Texas. A fertilizer plant exploding in West, Texas is...terrifying. The fact it was surrounded by a nursing home, school, park, housing, etc; that is something all the more shocking following the actual failure of the safety measures at the facility. Thankfully the worst case scenario did not play out and the deaths (known so far) are not as large as I could have imagined (See the before and after images.).

But what we've seen since is that inspections of this facility haven't been done in some time. But inspection and regulation are such a burden and such a hindrance to...eh...something...guess I'm being distracted from hating regulation and inspection at the moment. If Texas wants to draw in new business and people, it might want to care about the safety of Texans and business not literally detonating on them.

And in the wake of this, we've seen Republicans, who have denounced federal funds, and others that have blocked federal aid to disasters make an about face. Gov. Perry now is eager to receive funds. And Sen. Cruz, who opposed aid to New York and New Jersey post-Hurricane sees a need to expedite aid to his state. It's funny. No, it isn't. It's predicable.

But this tragedy also was a moment where people around West were there to help people escape the damage, rest, and begin recovering.

To the people in Massachusetts and Texas who acted to help those in need. Thanks. To those struck by these tragedies. My sympathies. Plenty of lessons to take away from this week, as we mourn, heal, rebuild, and make tomorrow a better place.

The stupid that come from the History Channel

Came across this. History Channel, remember when it was about history?



It is almost a cliche now to talk about it (When Chuck Grassley is on it, it must be old.). But it is an annoyance. It once was nice to have access to a channel where you could watch historic documentaries. Now it is day long marathons on scavenging, logging, and other things.

Sure you can see more docs, if you get History Channel 2 (which I don't), but that's like saying you can get music videos if you get MTV2 (Do they still have music videos?). So it's annoying, and makes me not want to get the channel on my cable.

But as this video notes. About as bad as the ridiculous reality shows, the channel spends a lot of time on pseudoscience and pseudohistory. Why are you offering up conspiracy, demons, bigfoots, and alien abductions? I shouldn't be surprised when you honestly critique conspiracies. Still, most of these have moved to other channels now. And History Channel has it's reality TV, mixed with some old ancient aliens and bible mystery docs.

Now, I do get the evolution of channels. (I going to make a long aside now.)

I remember getting SciFi Channel...when it was still called that. It was early days, and like every young channel, it was filling space. It would buy up cheap shows and show them in mass. So you would get day long runs of Star Trek, Knight Rider, Invisible Man, etc. And that could be repetitive  But it was also scifi, and fun. (There was also the occasional UFO or mysterious sightings shows.) They also threw on shows that were made in their studio, like Sci-Fi Buzz and SF Vortex. These were shows that would promote and talk about what was going on in scifi TV, Movies, etc that week. So you'd get the channel's niche topic talked up, have interviews with actors and writers in the genre, clips from shows (it was how I discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and even rants from Harlan Ellison. It was fun. It was the kind of thing you ought have on a channel specializing in Science Fiction entertainment. And eventually they got dumped as the channel evolved.

Here's some of those old shows:

SF Vortex:


Sci-Fi Buzz:


An Ellison Rant:


That is what we always see, channel execs see cheaper or more engaging ways to draw customers/viewers and they change. So more shows come and go, and the original in studio shows get dropped. That made me sad, as it would be nice to have at least one show talking up the genre. But the channel changed and started buying up new shows, like the Invisible Man, Chronicles, Farscape, Lexx, new MST3K episodes. So there is a trade off. And this seems like a nice place. Some old shows, some new shows. But...the channel evolves.

Execs look at ratings and want more, and they want to find ways to pay less. So shows get replaced, and fans aren't happy. And change keeps coming. Reality shows boom. Ghost Hunters. Horror makeup shows. Weird little games. And then wrestling is put on. And I missed the point they started buying more and more crappy bad movies off the shelves on studios to put on and original movies.

And SciFi come SyFy might want to look back at itself to see what it's become. (Makes me want to pull up the piece Charlie Brooker did showing how TV is where innovative ideas go to die...OKAY!)



SciFi was an interesting channel to start. It needed improvement. It needed to grow. It needed to change. Some changes have been good, and many bad. And it is definitely not what it started out seeking to be.

But it's like what we see with History, Learning, Arts, Discovery, etc. The channels start shifting from who they are. Some more than others, but the marathons of silly shows and ridiculous choice of funding these silly shows...They've made online choices for thoughtful entertainment a desperate need. I think Travel Channel had some better luck. For awhile they became the Poker and Vegas Channel. But they seem to have shifted back some (And they are about travel, which is all about advertising.).

But then we have examples of where this can go like Tech TV. A niche channel, that gave some gaming talk, but also lots of talk about technology, computers, and Leo Laporte. Then they began the move that ended up with them becoming G4. As G4, they had a lot of crappy reality shows, Ninja Warriors, old movies, old TV, with a bit of guy focused gaming talk shoved in. And that channel is dead now (Gods, it's not around, right? I mean, we already have Spike. -- Another tale of an evolving and changing channel.).

Still, let's get back to the History Channel. Ice Road Truckers? Top Gear? Ancient Aliens? Pawn Stars? Swamp People? Chasing Tail (What is this even about?)? American Pickers? Ax Men? Cajun Pawn Stars (Cause one isn't enough.)? Counting Cars (Theirs a show called Counting Fucking Cars.)? Really? This is who you are, History Channel?

Sigh.

But, as noted in the video at the top, this was a long time in coming.

Look at this show Satan's Army (Interesting point. This is an example of what a lot of these channels do. You have a show. And you just plug it into whatever other show you have that is related and pretend it's new. I've seen most of this in another show on History, with different graphics. You know, I once saw a piece on the haunting of a WWII aircraft carry pop up on three different paranormal shows. What a way to save cash.)


But just watch the first minute or two, and think, "This is what the History Channel does."




Oh my gods. I forgot for a moment about The Nostradamus Effect...That was so dumb. Anyway, I want to sit down at a some point and talk about how bad this and some other shows were.

Shame on you History Channel. Shows like this make my brain hurt. So so dumb.

Standing up to the Religious Right: Katelyn Campbell

We can loose sight of the people who are putting up the hard fights. People who stand up to authority and peer pressure in places where there is just not much cover, and standing out can mean your life will be made hell.

But once in a while we see someone stand up, and refuse to sit back down and be silent. One such person is Katelyn Campbell of West Virginia. She is standing up to abstinence education with blatant religious content.

A religious spurred speaker came in and began to spout to students. Condoms are bad, and don't work. If you have sex, you will get a disease. If you take birth control, your mom hates you. And that the speaker could tell if you would be promiscuous.

Campbell opted out of the event, but was given a recording of it. Hearing it she was outraged and spoke out, and sought those who would listen.

For speaking out, and talking to the media and the ACLU, the principal threatened her. He told her that he may contact the university that she was going to in the fall, and tell them she was of bad character.

In response, she's called for him to resign.

So there she was, taking a stand, having her future threatened, and she did not back down. Good for her. Thank you. Thank you for standing up and trying to make a difference. For science. For education. For the separation of church and state.

And her future university had some thoughts to.

Smart move Wellesley College. Smarter than that principal.

And, again, thank you Katelyn Campbell. People like you can make a difference, and help make the world a better place. We should all try as hard.

Marriage Equality in New Zealand

Marriage equality is now law in New Zealand. Still not in the United States. But we have to be thrilled these basic rights are now being acknowledged in one more country on this planet.

14 countries now! We have over 100 to go. Including the United States of America, and Australia (Really Aussies? You used to be cool.).

Here is the vote, and the resulting singing in celebration after (the Pokarekare Ana -- a traditional love song):



And here's an MP, Maurice Williamson, who responds to all the people, including religious leaders who attacked him and others on the looming equality vote (includes physics joke):

This year Easter is on...Roll 1d4?

I have been tempted to talk about the, what to my surprise exists, War of Easter. But it is too silly (You can see it tore apart here and here.).

And I have talked about the similarly ridiculous War on Christmas here already. Just switch over to magic rabbits, baskets of eggs, chocolate, pastel colors, and baked ham. If your argument is that your religious celebration of Easter is in peril...

YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID. 

Okay? It is all silly.

And to emphasize that, you can see that Google has a picture of Cesar Chavez up on it's main page.

Google often changes it's main page to acknowledge various people and events (from Star Trek to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to Christmas to famous artist). It's a fun little thing. Today is Cesar Chavez birthday. It's also Easter (this year -- What is with the rolling holiday? Was Jesus hedging his bets on how long he'd take to get out hell?). So Christians, again, are pissed about not getting special coverage...on a little picture on the front page of Google. I'm guessing these people missed church and didn't know their was a big deal there today.

Honestly! Their are devout Christians spending Easter online writing and complaining about people not celebrating Easter. Welcome to Conservative Christiandom.

So silly. As Jim Gaffigan has told us...


For his full bit on holidays:


I think I'll just have some turkey and MST3K. It is feeling like a Turkey Day.

The trouble with religious medicine.

Writing that title for this post, I wish I was going to just be talking about new age medicine, or faith healing. But no, I am writing about medical facilities set up and run by religious institutions. Erin Matson wrote on this, and I wanted to focus in and expand a little on her piece.


A desire to aid and heal people is a fine agenda to have. The trouble arises when it's mixed with caveats for just how and if someone is going to receive medical services. At Catholic hospitals their is some question as to what reproductive medicine you can have access to. And this has an impact on people's lives.

If you end up at a Catholic hospital following being raped, what treatment will you get? What help will you receive? If you want to receive something to prevent a pregnancy, you may be out of luck, and they may work to prevent you from getting the treatment you want. And if you are pregnant and need lifesaving treatment that could the pregnancy...it can end horribly for you.

When it comes to abortion, Catholic doctrine is clear and cruel. In Ireland last year, under Catholic doctrine, a life saving abortion was delayed until the fetus was shown to have died, leaving it too late to save the woman. The disease progressed to far and she died. Fetus and mother dead. In 2010, following an abortion to end a pregnancy that likely would have killed the mother, the nun who made the executive decision was excommunicated. A warning to hospital executives everywhere. And in 2009, their was furor in the Church when a 9 year-old, raped by her stepfather, was given an abortion in Brazil. It was legal, under the circumstances. But the doctors and family were all excommunicated from the church, as a punishment and a threat to other Catholics, particularly doctors (Don't recall the step dad getting much grief for what he did.).

Where they can make it law, the church stops abortion services. Where it can't make it illegal, they make it inaccessible, or hard to get agreement to it.

But that is just Catholic hospitals. So no big deal. I wish that were so. As much as I would like to think that this issue is one we can handle, I have concerns.

First. Do you know how the hospital nearest to you is run? Is it religious based? In fact, what is the nearest hospital to you that isn't? Do you know? I have for awhile looked at the city I live in, and I've realized that there are two major hospitals, and they are both Catholic hospitals. So, if I was a women, what would my options be? As well, consider how clinics and other outpatient venues for medical support are setup. Many in this region have funding from the these two hospitals. How does that affect service? I am unsure how far, or where I would have to go to get medical aid unaffected by Catholic teachings on reproductive medicine. That troubles me.

This leads to my second concern  the move to "religious freedom". In many states they are trying to establish rules of Religious Freedom. It's meant to be a way to circumvent the law and use religious doctrine in it's place. It's a way to deny services to gay people, or anyone you don't like, and it is also a way to justify all sorts of medical providers don't have to accommodate patients. It's, apparently, the religious way.

Now, it is interesting to see very religious people eager to show that they mean intolerant and exclusionary when they call themselves religious. But this isn't helping women.

And women in many places in this country are expected to leap through a series of flaming hoops to even get in sight of an abortion provider. Abortion is a simple basic medical service that is legal in the United States. When you look at how it is treated by most states, you would think it is a dirty secret, or used an amazing amount. But that isn't reality. Just the fiction that some choose to believe. And through those lies, women who need medical aid are made to suffer and endure, to fulfill the religious demands of some. How can any of us see this as acceptable?


I don't care if a religious institution wants to open a hospital to help the sick and be of service to the community. But they should not be picking and choosing the basic medical assistance they will bestow. That is not how one ministers, in the medical sense. If you pick and choose like that, based on personal biases, you are not being a serious provider. And you DEFINITELY should not be receiving tax dollars for your work.

This is why we need national secular medical providers. People will provide the full range of medical services. People who are actually serious about medicine.


I also wanted to include a link from the original piece linked at the top, looking at the trouble happening as Catholic hospitals are merging with other hospitals, bringing over their antiquated rules on women's health. It's good to be informed.