I Miss My Puppies!

Murphy, on the left, & Colby!

I really haven't felt much like blogging recently, or reading to find stuff to talk about, or smoking cigars to review, or anything at all really. Lately I have been pretty down in the dumps. I don't think I am going to go in depth about that here today except to say, I miss my puppies.

You see there was a time when I was happily married and live in a nice white house in Central Ohio. My Ex, the February before we were married, saved a lab puppy from the pound and gave it to me. I had always wanted a dog, and because I had grown up in a more urban setting, it was not a possibility growing up. I was thrilled, and named him Murphy.

A few months after the wedding a friend of mine who was originally from Washington State, had to return their suddenly. After a bit of fuss we were able to save him too. He was Beagle/Pit Bull mix named Colby. It was probably the closest thing I have had to a family of my own to this point.

Especially since the ex and I split. For almost a year while we were splitting, it felt like Murph and Colby were all I had for support on many lonely nights, which made it especially hard when I had to give the house (and puppies) up and finally move on. While ultimately it was a good decision for me, I still from time to time, wish I still had them. Today is one of those times.



Oh well,

TomC

Creation Museum

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14122311/

I really dont want to get into a huge argument about Creationism VS Evolution, I just think this article needs to be seen by more people. I just have a couple of questions:

Are there any qualifications required to be called a museum?

The Museums Association definition (adopted 1998) is:

"Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artefacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society".

Another definition:

A museum is typically a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education, enjoyment, the tangible and intangible evidence of people and their environment." (This definition is taken from the International Council of Museums ICOM Statutes.)

From this definition I dont even know if this "exhibit can be called a museum. What material evidence are they holding in this museum that is not at any other natural history museum in the world? And other than the same time worn arguments, how do the interpolate the same evidence that every other museum in the world in a way that supports their divergent claim?

Also, being creationists, whos creationist theory exactly, are they trying to support?

More research is needed. . . . hopefully a later post will be made.

TomC

The Chateau Fuente King B

Cigar name: King B
Vitola: 6" x 55
Wrapper: Ecuadorian "cloud-grown" Rosado
Filler: Chateau Fuente blend
Released: late 2005
Quantity: limited
MSRP: $6.50 per cigar

Notes: Announced at RTDA 2005, the Fuente "King B" comes in boxes of 18, and similar in size to the Fuente Sun Grown Cuban Belicoso, but a bit longer and fatter.

Despite sporting a black ribbon on the foot that usually indicates a sun grown wrapper, the King B sports an Ecuadorian sun grown Rosado wrapper from the Oliva family (jokingly referred to as "cloud grown" because of the altitude they are grown at).

This cigar was first released in late 2005, and will be a regular release cigar, with availability on par with the Flor Fina 858 Sun Growns. The filler is believed to be the same blend as the Chateau Fuente line of cigars.

(notes from: Vitolas.net)

Smoked one of these that was a gift from one of the great BOTL's at StogieChat.com last night. A thoroughly enjoyable experience. A Fascinating melding of fuente stogies, mixing the great construction and draw one would expect from one of their cigars with a fascinating flavor somewhere between that of a Sun Grown and an Opus X. if it really is sold at that reasonable price point I highly recommend it to anybody who enjoys fuente products!

TomC

Why Being a Video Game Geek Isn't Too Bad After All!

This host of "THE FEED" can read me my news any day!

TomC

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof

One of my favortie joys in life is sitting back and sipping a glass of fine american whiskey. Often I will jot down notes for a review. (I was once a moderator on a bourbon message board and published regular tastings there. No More, alas). Here is one of my favorites (Carrie bought me a bottle of it for christmas, so critically revisting it is fresh in my mind):

Name (full): Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof

Batch #: W-T-01-99

Proof: 108.4

Bottle: Different than most bourbon bottles. A Squat, rather cylindrical with a flat wooden top to the cork stopper. It has a rather simple unobtrusive oval cream label that states the name of the bourbon and has an elegant portrait of the company mascot. The back label states "The spirit of Wild Turkey has been captured in this barrel proof whiskey to create the finest of bourbon pleasures. Hand-Crafted and uncut with water, Rare Breed is truly a legendary treasure to savor.". Bottled by the Austin, Nichols Distilling Company, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA.

Color: like an old leather saddle beneath a warm light

Nose: cloves, cinnamon, leather, Werther's Original Candy, cream, butter rum, blood oranges

Diluted: caramelized apples & pears, cloves, nutmeg

Taste: dark sweet cherries, overripe plums, anise, oranges from the nose, peppery toward the end.

Finish: long & slow & wonderfully paced, warming (with citrus, barrel and rye spiciness), exceedingly satisfying.

Mouth feel: thick & smooth, medium in the mouth (surprisingly smaller & smoother than I though such a high proofed bourbon would be), a little oily, clings nicely to the sides of the glass.


Conclusions: I adore Wild Turkey bourbon, and this particular offering just reinforces that feeling to me. While to me this one seems younger and lighter than some of the others I have tried (i.e. Russell's Reserve), it still has the great full flavors that one can come to enjoy from Wild Turkey offerings. one of the best things about this bourbon is it can have all those big flavors ( & the big Undiluted Barrel Proof) without sacrificing smoothness in any way, it is a preeminently drinkable bourbon, much more so that I thought a 100+ liquor would ever be. The folks at WT work hard and go the extra mile for their products, and the results shine through. If you have not tried this offering (or the standard Wild Turkey 101 proof. or Russell's Reserve), I humbly suggest that you do. you will NOT be disappointed.

(hopefully this is a good first post!)

TomC

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic Maduro

7 X 48 MADURO

(a litlle history of the line from http://www.cigarfamily.com/our_cigars_hemingway.html )

"My grandfather always made Cuban Perfecto Cigars. Perfecto cigars were very, very, popular during the 1920's 30's and 40's. I remember when I was growing up in the factory, we made a lot of cigars that were Perfecto shaped. We made Perfectos by hand and as time went by there were less and less cigar makers rolling Perfectos, because these cigar makers were older, they retired, they passed away. It took a real master to make a true Cuban Perfecto cigar. The Perfectos my grandfather used to make were called Arturo Fuente Fancy Tales, Tales T-A-L-E-S. I think the last time they were made was back in the 1960's, or early 1970's and that was it. We stopped making Cuban Perfectos for many years.

We used to make, maybe twenty cigars a day just for ourselves to smoke and enjoy. That first cigar is what is known today as the Hemingway Signature 6" x 47. The Signature was introduced in 1983 and that was the only shape available until around 1988 when we introduced the Classic and the Masterpiece. About that same time my father wanted to develop something totally different, unseen in cigars. So we started fooling around with a very short cigar, which was only for our own personal use. That cigar became the Short Story.

The Hemingway cigars have a very warm place in my heart and in my memories. It is very pleasing for me to remember watching these cigars being made by my grandfather, and to think that these cigars are now made in our factory in the Dominican Republic. That is very fulfilling. I hope that you enjoy the Hemingway cigars and what they mean to myself and our family."

Carlos Fuente Jr.


Ah from the very beginning this baby was a gem. Opened the cello and the aroma hit me right away: distinctively hemingway, but hints of cocoa and coffee too. Mmmmmm. I am not one of those that usually takes forever fodling my cigar before lighting but this baby deserved the attention. A beautiful firm cigar with a nice shiny maduro wrapper that smelled like a dream. I told Carrie that they should make porpurri out of these they smell so good, I almost felt bad bruning it.

But it did not stop me.As always the Hemingway Perfecto lit and burned perfectly, and produce plumes of luscious smoke. This is simply a delicious cigar. Its like a Hemiingway, but different (duh, right?). In its Cameroon version, its a little tangy and spicy, but in this version, it was clearly hemingway, but riiiiiich, with chocolate and coffee and creamier and more refined, with flavors floating in and out throught the whole process. One of the best cigars I have had in a while, and worth every minute of the 1:45 it took to smoke the leisurely burn. My only complaint: it wasnt longer.

Obviously HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

TomC

Support The Troops: Bring Them Home

I don't often believe in posting whole chunks of other peoples work on here, but this was elaborated upon way better than I could have expressed it. That said I want to be absolutely clear with this. The following is not my writing, though I may share its opinion. The articel can be found here:

By MICHAEL KINSLEY

The resolution passed by the House of Representatives on Feb. 16, expressing disapproval of President Bush's "surge" of additional troops for the war in Iraq, is only 69 words long, and the disapproval itself takes only 27 words. It's point two. Point one, a loquacious 32 words, is an expression of approval for the troops. Not just for the troops who are currently serving, but also for those who "have served bravely and honorably" in Iraq in the past.

It appears that any expression of disapproval for the war in Iraq has to be accompanied, if not preceded, by a declaration of support for the troops. The specific inclusion of troops who are no longer in harm's way shows how empty and rhetorical this declaration of support has become. It's not that anybody around here doesn't "support the troops" — whatever that means. It's that the only reason this gets said is to block the accusation that, by opposing the war, you somehow oppose the troops — once again, whatever that means.

Sen. Barack Obama has apologized several times over for what would seem to anyone unfamiliar with the rituals and requirements of American politics to be a fairly touching tribute to "over three thousand lives of the bravest young Americans wasted" in Iraq. Unlike many, Obama has opposed this war since the beginning. "Wasted" is a strong word, but not an inaccurate one if you believe the war was wrong. (In fact, the verb "to waste" became a synonym for killing during Vietnam.) But Obama, like every other politician, has to watch his words, and must temper any sincere expression of horror and dismay, or he will be accused of not "supporting the troops."

There is something backward here. Congressional opponents of the Iraq war are "supporting the troops" in the best possible way: by trying to bring them home to safety and their families. It is those — those few, apart from President Bush — who want to send even more troops to Iraq who should feel defensive about their support for the troops. Some of those troops are on their third tour of duty in Iraq, and few of them are pleased to be there. Maybe, as Bush and his advisers no doubt sincerely believe, the drip drip drip of young American blood is worth it. Maybe the critics underestimate the peril of pulling out. Maybe the "surge" will turn out to be a huge success and vindicate Bush's strategy. But please — let's not pretend that staying the course is a favor to the troops.

Criticism of the war surely is dispiriting to the soldiers who are engaged in it. If you're killing and risking death in a miserable faraway desert, you ought to be able to believe that your sacrifice is in a worthy cause. But whose fault is it if that belief is hard to sustain? Is it the fault of people who note that the cause is not worthy? Or is it the fault of the people who sent American soldiers into this distant desert in an unworthy cause?

The cause actually was worthy in purpose: to liberate a country from a dictator, perhaps to find and destroy some dangerous weapons, and more recently to stop the chaos and slaughter that we have unbottled in Iraq. Some war critics don't wish to give Bush this much credit. But none of the ulterior motives sometimes attributed to the President make any sense. His intentions were noble, however na�ve and pigheaded. But the war was a horrible mistake. And as everyone comes to realize it was a mistake, continuing it becomes something much worse than a mistake.

How can you make this point — which is surely a legitimate one in a democracy, whether you agree with it or not — if any form of words that might undermine the morale of American soldiers is not allowed because it fails to "support the troops"? Even Bush's defenders in Congress do not, presumably, support in advance any conceivable use of American military power. Many of them, for example, who were in Congress at the time, opposed President Clinton's initiatives in the Balkans. Maybe there were those who bit their tongues, in order to "support the troops." But many spoke out, and bitterly. As they should have: to keep quiet as American soldiers died in what these politicians saw as a misuse of American power and American blood would have been a strange way to show support.

Then there is the question of money. Bush has established a virtually dictatorial right to send this country into war. The Administration's professed indifference to anything Congress might do about the "surge" is a case in point. The one power members of Congress still might have is the power of the purse. Why don't they use it? Supporters of the war dare them to try, but stand ready to accuse them of abandoning the troops if they shut off funds — as if ending the war meant leaving American soldiers shivering in Baghdad without bus fare home.

This all goes back to Vietnam, of course. There were some Vietnam-era antiwar protesters — few — who disparaged the troops along with the war. (A lively debate continues about whether any returning American soldiers were actually spat upon.) Vietnam also saw the first appearance of the ridiculous argument that we couldn't stop the war until our POWs were freed — as if stopping the war wasn't the quickest way to free them. This, too, fed a myth that opposition to a war was somehow a betrayal of the soldiers. Ultimately, in the case of Vietnam, the antiwar movement included a majority of the country, and it saved the lives of untold thousands of Americans by getting us out of that war — not quickly, but eventually.

If opponents of today's war in Iraq manage to do the same, it will be surprising if many American soldiers object.

Blanton's "The Original"

Name: Blanton's "The Original"Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Dumped On: December 19, 2000

Barrel #: 64 (each Barrel Holds about 250 Fifth Bottles of Blanton’s).

Stored in Warehouse: H

Rick #: 10

Proof: 93

Approximate Mash bill: 80% Corn 10% Rye 10% Malted Barley (It is aged in #3 charred Barrels & stored in a Heated Metal Clad Wood Warehouse devoted especially to the single barrel products. They are chill filtered before bottling.).***

Price: $38.50 @ Williams County State Store, Marion, OH.

Bottle: After gently opening the Gold Embossed (with horses and riders) forest green box and peeling away the spiffy brown bag protecting the bottle, one is treated to the prize. The “Holy Hand Grenade” of Bourbon (or so it has been called) comes in a stylish squat 18 sectioned round container with a brown strip label across the midsection. On the label, the dump date, warehouse, rick and actual proof (it is said to vary occasionally) are hand written among the classy script text. The cork finish is accentuated by a minute metallic horse and jockey stretching for victory.

Color: A divine, almost ruby deep red. This, more than any other bourbon I have tried, alone tempts me to have a pull every time I glance at the bottle on the mantle. It is an enticing color.

Nose: Carmel apples, Burning Leaves, Cinnamon Toast. The more I nose the more nutty smells. . . . Like Buttery Pecans & Almonds and Raisins.

Taste: There is a lot more to this bourbon than I could describe. The flavors I could pick out were the Butter Pecans, prunes and the dark fruits of the nose. But there is much more, I am not really doing it much justice. It is Balanced, Everything here belongs.

Finish: Long, warm, smoooooooooooooth, coating and buttery. More almonds & Pecans. Almost Syrupy like real maple syrup.

Mouth feel: Big, Smooth, Like melted butter or Maple Syrup.


Conclusions: First I must say that whether it is craftsmanship at its best or just a marketing scam, I really enjoy the idea of Single Barrel Bourbons. The idea that you have to get every individual barrel right raises the bar of excellence. You don’t have anything to “mingle” it with later, so if ya screwed up, oh well. That means you have to work extra hard on every barrel to get it just right.

And man did they get it just right with this stuff. It is balanced and smooth and special. Everything you taste in your glass belongs. There has been a lot of hype surrounding this bourbon from the first day I became interested in the spirit. Well I firmly believe it in this case. This shit is the real deal. The entry fee may be a bit steep, but it is well worth it. To rip off the STUFF mag line this truly is “ a thoroughbred Bourbon”. Buy Some and treat yourself today.






w00t!

TomC

Ashton Virgin Sun Grown Illusion

Ashton VSG Illusion 6.5 X 44

As many of you know I posted a less than pleasant review of an Ashton VSG Wizard recently, owing my underwhelming experience to the ring guage of the stoie. The thig 56 ring guage of the cigar lead to an overwhelmingly strong smoke that blocked out all the nuance to the smoke. Well smoking this Illusion pretty well reaffirmed my point. But anyway, on to the Review.

Appearance: Like most VSGs this cigar looked beautiful, smooth and rich looking dark wrapper leaf without veins or blemishes. Luscious is the word that comes to mind, rich like chocolate. God enough to eat. This cigar also clipped cleanly.

Pre-Light: The draw was just perfect. Due to the smaller guage of this stogie, Pre light draw seemed a little more restrictive than the Wizard, and this is a good thing! Could already taste the cocoa and mocha notes, before lighting.

Construction: Exemplar as always, just the right amount of resistance on the draw, produced a good amount, if not too much smoke, focused on the palate just the right way. the burn was straight the whole way down, and after lighting I did not have to think anout tmaintanance of this stogie anymore.

Flavor: Fabulous, this is the VSGs I remember, know an love. Starts creamy and sweet, chocolatey at the beginning ang builds steam as it goes. About a third of the was its more mocha/coffee, and notes of leather and sweet pipe tobacco. Two thiurds of the way more strong spices, cinnamon, then almost peppery, with a cedar note creeping in and that nic strong black coffee base. Jusst delicious. Strong but not too much. Full bodied but not overwhelming. A Joy to smoke.

As you can see, this stogie was far better than the wizard IMHO. lending creedance to a feeling that has been gaining with me for a while: The size and shape of the vitolas can drastically effect your opinion of a certain brand/ blend (another example with me is I like the Chiselitos of the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Line way more than any other of the shapes). All this said, I can heartily RECOMMEND this cigar.

TomC

My First 2008 Presidential Election Comment. . .

I am sure plenty of my political comments and opinions will show up in due time, so for now all I will say is I could get behind this Bi Partisan ticket in '08:



TomC

Tiffani Thiessen

Its amazing when one of you childhood crushes stays hot as you age. I was lucky, both of mine did. I talked in the past about Topanga on Boy Meets World. My other dream girl during my formative years was Kelly Kapowski on Saved by the Bell. Except for a stop on 90210, the rest of her career to date has not been noteworthy, but as a character dear to my heart I have followed it anyway. And tonight I share some with you. Enjoy.



TomC

H. Upmann Magbum 46 (Part Deux)

5 5/8" x 46, Cuban Corona Gorda

I realize I have already written a chat style review of this cigar, but it is such a good stogie it deserves the formal work up too. So without further ado, the Magnum 46!!

Construction: As shown in the picture above, this is one very pretty looking cigar. Smooth and tan and firmly packed, uniform throughout the whole stick. It just a fine example of cuban cigar construction.

Pre - Light: Clipping the cap yielded a firm but forgiving draw. A quick draw yielded sweet ans earthy notes. Its a great preview of what is to come.

Burn/Draw: I had a bit of trouble with this one at first. Through the first half of this cigar, the burn was uneven. It was not horrible, and it did not seem to detract from the experience, but it was there. Also the cone seemed a little longet than it should be. These problems seemed to resolve themselves over the second half, and became a non-issue.

Flavors: From discussion with folks more experienced in the ISOM world than I , it seems the hallmark of a great cuban cigar is development and change throughout the stick. This cigar had three distinct parts. The beginning was rich and creamy and sweet, like an earthy clover honey, and molasses coupled with the earthy farmyness that is the hallmark cuban note. Also a tangy, kinda citrussy note. A third (to a half) of the way in the musty earth notes burst to the front with oaky woodiness as well. Peppery spice and added strength. Over the last third it mellows and sweetens out again, but retains spice, cinnamon and gingery instead of black pepper. Needless to say, great all the way through. Smoked it down to the teeniest nub.

This really doesnt need a summary. If you can find some, buy them! If you have some, SMOKE THEM! You will not be dissapointed.

TomC

11th Circuit Upholds Alabama Ban On Sale Of Sex Toys

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=18156

02.16.07

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A federal appeals court issued a Valentine's Day ruling upholding an Alabama law banning the sale of sex toys. But the devices won't disappear from store shelves immediately.


The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Alabama's sex toy ban is constitutional because "the state's interest in preserving and promoting public morality provides a rational basis for the challenged statute." . . .

In 1998, the Alabama Legislature enacted a law that bans the sale of sex toys, but not their possession. Alabama residents may lawfully purchase sex toys out of state for use in Alabama, or use them if the devices have other recognized medical or therapeutic uses. The Alabama law doesn't regulate other items, such as condoms or virility drugs.

Williams, who owns Pleasures adult toy shops in Huntsville and Decatur, challenged the law in 1998 along with seven other women and two men, who represented consumers of the products. They were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union.


The plaintiffs alleged in their 1998 lawsuit that "by restricting the sales of these devices to plaintiffs, Alabama has acted in violation of the fundamental rights of privacy and personal autonomy that protect an individual's lawful sexual practices guaranteed by the First, Fourth, Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution." . . .



Okay at the risk of sounding cranky, I dont understand. Why is the state Alabama even wasting the money to run this throught he courts? I mean we arent banning the sex toys, just that you cant sell them in AL. So we really arent stopping the act you consider immoral, you are just ruining a segment of your economy and putting buisness holders out of work. So not only does it look like a privacy infringement, as well as outright persecution of JUST ALABAMA RETAILERS, outright banning of the advertisement is contrary to 1st Ammendments spirit. Stop wasting your taxpayers money on half hearted morality witch hunts with no teeth, don't even work, and just hurts your states economy, and do something useful with the money.

TomC

Old Ezra 7 Year/ 101 Proof

Name (full): Old Ezra Rare Old Sippin' Whiskey Aged 7 Years Genuine Sour Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Proof: 101

Price: $11.50 @ Williams County State Store, Bryan, OH.

Bottle: It sure looks "Old School" to me, with its cream and brown label and metallic gold trim. The front Label states the name and that it is "101 Proof". The side labels extol the virtues of the bourbon being a "Full 7 Years Old", "Charcoal Filtered", and "101 Proof for Body and Character". The neckband states "Ezra Brooks The Only Bourbon Worthy Of A Cork". Bottled By Ezra Brooks Distilling Co., St. Louis, MO.

Color: Dark, Garnet.
Nose: smooth/warm, cherry blossoms, honeysuckle, butter/nutty, vanilla toffee, and a little pepper on the end.

When Diluted: smooth, toffee, warm.

Taste: caramel & vanilla, then coating barrel char, with rye spiciness on the end.

When Diluted: vanilla, rye.

Finish: long, warm, coating, & lasting with a yummy aftertaste.

Mouth feel: smooth, warm, just a bit tingly, (not too big).


Conclusions: If good small batch bourbons (Knob Creek, WT Russell's Reserve, Rare Breed, etc. . .) are the genre's "American Beauties", than Old Ezra is its "Workingman's Dead". If you want something tasty but not something that you feel you have to put on any airs to drink, this just may be your stuff. Smooth, uncomplicated and tasty, this one seems to personify what bourbon should be at its core to the point that this is what I would suggest to someone who asks "what does bourbon taste like?". It has all the basic components: Vanilla/Caramel, Wood, Rye and a better than average nose to boot! Couple that with the fact that its a robust 101 proof and this stuff is quite the little bargain @ less than $12. Another great bourbon to enjoy without having to break you bank!


Tom (Findin' Bourbonic Bliss on the Bottom Shelf) C

In Support Of Peace

Got the Links from the Anonymous Liberal:

I dont usually do petitions, especiall ones I found on another blog, but these seemed important. The fine folks at Anonymous liberal make a good point. If these petitions are to influence public debate they need to be seen by is many as possible. Here is my humble little help.

The first, launched by General Wesley Clark, is intended to halt the slide toward war with Iran. Here's General Clark, in his own words:

All Americans want to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons and interfering on the ground inside Iraq.

Yet, President Bush's continued saber rattling gives the US little additional leverage to engage and dissuade Iran, and, more than likely, simply accelerates a dangerous slide into war. The United States can do better than this.

Whatever the pace of Iran's nuclear efforts, in the give and take of the Administration's rhetoric and accusations, we are approaching the last moments to head off looming conflict. Surely, it is past time to urge President Bush to exercise leadership and start to work now to avoid a widening of the conflict in the Middle East.

That's why today, I'm joining Jon Soltz, Chairman of VoteVets.org, the preeminent organization representing Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, to launch StopIranWar.com.

At the website, you can sign the petition and send a personalized email to the White House.

Also sign Barack Obama's petition supporting the Iraq War De-Escalation Act, at his website, here.

TomC

Boston Red Sox Championships

World Series titles (6)	2004 • 1918 • 1916 • 1915 1912 • 1903
AL Pennants (11)	2004 • 1986 • 1975 • 1967 1946 • 1918 • 1916 • 1915 1912 • 1904 • 1903
East Division titles (5)	1995 • 1990 • 1988 • 1986 1975
Wild card berths (5)	2005 •2004 • 2003 • 1999 1998

Not an unsuccessful franchise, by far. Just a reminder to those of you out there that complain.

TomC

Ash Wednesday by T.S. Eliot

ASH WEDNESDAY

Because I do not hope to turn again
Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to turn
Desiring this man's gift and that man's scope
I no longer strive to strive towards such things
(Why should the aged eagle stretch its wings?)
Why should I mourn
The vanished power of the usual reign?

Because I do not hope to know again
The infirm glory of the positive hour
Because I do not think
Because I know I shall not know
The one veritable transitory power
Because I cannot drink
There, where trees flower, and springs flow, for there is nothing again

Because I know that time is always time
And place is always and only place
And what is actual is actual only for one time
And only for one place
I rejoice that things are as they are and
I renounce the blessed face
And renounce the voice
Because I cannot hope to turn again
Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something
Upon which to rejoice

And pray to God to have mercy upon us
And pray that I may forget
These matters that with myself I too much discuss
Too much explain
Because I do not hope to turn again
Let these words answer
For what is done, not to be done again
May the judgement not be too heavy upon us

Because these wings are no longer wings to fly
But merely vans to beat the air
The air which is now thoroughly small and dry
Smaller and dryer than the will
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still.

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death
Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.

II

Lady, three white leopards sat under a juniper-tree
In the cool of the day, having fed to sateity
On my legs my heart my liver and that which had been contained
In the hollow round of my skull. And God said
Shall these bones live? shall these
Bones live? And that which had been contained
In the bones (which were already dry) said chirping:
Because of the goodness of this Lady
And because of her loveliness, and because
She honours the Virgin in meditation,
We shine with brightness. And I who am here dissembled
Proffer my deeds to oblivion, and my love
To the posterity of the desert and the fruit of the gourd.
It is this which recovers
My guts the strings of my eyes and the indigestible portions
Which the leopards reject. The Lady is withdrawn
In a white gown, to contemplation, in a white gown.
Let the whiteness of bones atone to forgetfulness.
There is no life in them. As I am forgotten
And would be forgotten, so I would forget
Thus devoted, concentrated in purpose. And God said
Prophesy to the wind, to the wind only for only
The wind will listen. And the bones sang chirping
With the burden of the grasshopper, saying

Lady of silences
Calm and distressed
Torn and most whole
Rose of memory
Rose of forgetfulness
Exhausted and life-giving
Worried reposeful
The single Rose
Is now the Garden
Where all loves end
Terminate torment
Of love unsatisfied
The greater torment
Of love satisfied
End of the endless
Journey to no end
Conclusion of all that
Is inconclusible
Speech without word and
Word of no speech
Grace to the Mother
For the Garden
Where all love ends.

Under a juniper-tree the bones sang, scattered and shining
We are glad to be scattered, we did little good to each other,
Under a tree in the cool of the day, with the blessing of sand,
Forgetting themselves and each other, united
In the quiet of the desert. This is the land which ye
Shall divide by lot. And neither division nor unity
Matters. This is the land. We have our inheritance.

III

At the first turning of the second stair
I turned and saw below
The same shape twisted on the banister
Under the vapour in the fetid air
Struggling with the devil of the stairs who wears
The deceitul face of hope and of despair.

At the second turning of the second stair
I left them twisting, turning below;
There were no more faces and the stair was dark,
Damp, jagged, like an old man's mouth drivelling, beyond repair,
Or the toothed gullet of an aged shark.

At the first turning of the third stair
Was a slotted window bellied like the figs's fruit
And beyond the hawthorn blossom and a pasture scene
The broadbacked figure drest in blue and green
Enchanted the maytime with an antique flute.
Blown hair is sweet, brown hair over the mouth blown,
Lilac and brown hair;
Distraction, music of the flute, stops and steps of the mind over the third stair,
Fading, fading; strength beyond hope and despair
Climbing the third stair.

Lord, I am not worthy
Lord, I am not worthy
but speak the word only.

IV

Who walked between the violet and the violet
Who walked between
The various ranks of varied green
Going in white and blue, in Mary's colour,
Talking of trivial things
In ignorance and knowledge of eternal dolour
Who moved among the others as they walked,
Who then made strong the fountains and made fresh the springs

Made cool the dry rock and made firm the sand
In blue of larkspur, blue of Mary's colour,
Sovegna vos

Here are the years that walk between, bearing
Away the fiddles and the flutes, restoring
One who moves in the time between sleep and waking, wearing

White light folded, sheathing about her, folded.
The new years walk, restoring
Through a bright cloud of tears, the years, restoring
With a new verse the ancient rhyme. Redeem
The time. Redeem
The unread vision in the higher dream
While jewelled unicorns draw by the gilded hearse.

The silent sister veiled in white and blue
Between the yews, behind the garden god,
Whose flute is breathless, bent her head and signed but spoke no word

But the fountain sprang up and the bird sang down
Redeem the time, redeem the dream
The token of the word unheard, unspoken

Till the wind shake a thousand whispers from the yew

And after this our exile

V

If the lost word is lost, if the spent word is spent
If the unheard, unspoken
Word is unspoken, unheard;
Still is the unspoken word, the Word unheard,
The Word without a word, the Word within
The world and for the world;
And the light shone in darkness and
Against the Word the unstilled world still whirled
About the centre of the silent Word.

O my people, what have I done unto thee.

Where shall the word be found, where will the word
Resound? Not here, there is not enough silence
Not on the sea or on the islands, not
On the mainland, in the desert or the rain land,
For those who walk in darkness
Both in the day time and in the night time
The right time and the right place are not here
No place of grace for those who avoid the face
No time to rejoice for those who walk among noise and deny the voice

Will the veiled sister pray for
Those who walk in darkness, who chose thee and oppose thee,
Those who are torn on the horn between season and season, time and time, between
Hour and hour, word and word, power and power, those who wait
In darkness? Will the veiled sister pray
For children at the gate
Who will not go away and cannot pray:
Pray for those who chose and oppose

O my people, what have I done unto thee.

Will the veiled sister between the slender
Yew trees pray for those who offend her
And are terrified and cannot surrender
And affirm before the world and deny between the rocks
In the last desert before the last blue rocks
The desert in the garden the garden in the desert
Of drouth, spitting from the mouth the withered apple-seed.

O my people.

VI

Although I do not hope to turn again
Although I do not hope
Although I do not hope to turn

Wavering between the profit and the loss
In this brief transit where the dreams cross
The dreamcrossed twilight between birth and dying
(Bless me father) though I do not wish to wish these things
From the wide window towards the granite shore
The white sails still fly seaward, seaward flying
Unbroken wings

And the lost heart stiffens and rejoices
In the lost lilac and the lost sea voices
And the weak spirit quickens to rebel
For the bent golden-rod and the lost sea smell
Quickens to recover
The cry of quail and the whirling plover
And the blind eye creates
The empty forms between the ivory gates
And smell renews the salt savour of the sandy earth This is the time of tension between dying and birth The place of solitude where three dreams cross Between blue rocks But when the voices shaken from the yew-tree drift away Let the other yew be shaken and reply.

Blessed sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated

And let my cry come unto Thee.

Generally I find Eliot pretentious, but it seemed appropriate for the time of year.

TomC

Abstinence/Fasting/Giving Something Up for Lent

I have been talking a lot about Lent these days, and researchingquite a bit of it for personal gain. And in these posts you will hear a lot about things like Abstinence/Fasting and the like. I was reading the Catholic Encyclopedia's entries regarding those practices and found it very enlightening. I though I would post some (hopefully accurate) laymans explanations of those terms here, because I doubt all who stumble by here are Catholic:

What does it mean to "fast"?

To fast is to do without food. Its purpose is to experience the effects of not eating. It also serves to be a penance or a sacrifice - for the purpose of strengthening us. When we don't eat, for even a little while, we get hungry. When we get hungry, we have a heightened sense of awareness. If, when we eat too much, we have a sluggish feeling, when we fast, we have a feeling of alertness. Fasting is a wonderful exercise whenever we want to sincerely ask for an important grace from God. It is not that our fasting "earns" God's attention, but by fasting, we clarify our thinking and our feeling. It is purifying and prepares us to pray more deeply.

When do I fast?

Catholics, as a group, are required to fast on only two days of the year - Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On these days, fasting means something very specific and limited. It means that one eats only one full meal in a day, with no food in-between meals. It is understood that two other meals, if one eats three meals a day, should not total one full meal. One might fast in a more complete way, i.e., eating only a portion of a single meal.

Of course, anyone is free to fast at any time that it is helpful for their prayer and reflection. It is not recommended that anyone with impaired health should fast in any way. It is also important to note that everyone who fasts should drink enough fluids on a fast day.

What does it mean to "abstain"?

To abstain is to not eat meat. Its purpose is to be an act of penance - an act of sacrifice, that helps us grow in freedom to make much bigger sacrifices. Of course, it would not make sense to make the sacrifice of not eating meat, and then eat a wonderful meal I might enjoy even more. Many people eat a vegetarian diet, for a variety of reasons, and eating meat is not even an issue. It might be possible to abstain from a non-meal that I really like, on all the Fridays of Lent. It should be noted that many people in this world cannot afford to eat meat or do not have access to it. Part of our abstaining from meat can place us in solidarity with so many of our sisters and brothers around the world.

When do I abstain?

Catholics, as a group, abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on all the Fridays of Lent.

What about "giving up something" for Lent?

This is a tradition that doesnt seem to be tied to any Dogmatic or Biblical Law, though as an extention of fasting, can be very useful.

When many of us were children, we might remember our giving up something for Lent. And, it seemed like a real sacrifice. As we grew up, it was often more difficult to decide what special thing to do, to make Lent a special season - to get our attention and to prepare ourselves for deeper sacrifices.

What would help me grow in freedom? That's the question to ask. For some of us, it could be, committing ourselves to give up judging others, every single day of Lent. For others, it could be giving up a bad habit we've developed. For still others, it is obvious what seems to be the important choice for me during Lent.

For many of us, the choice may not be to give something up, but to add something to our daily lives during Lent. We may commit ourselves to extra prayer time. We may decide to do some service to the poor, once a week during Lent. We may choose to increase our almsgiving to the poor - perhaps related to something we choose not to do, for example., some might choose not to go out to eat one night a week, and to give that total amount to the poor.


TomC

Ash Wenesday

"Ash Wednesday" by Carl Spitzweg: the end of Carnival


How many times in your life have you thought, If only I could change things/do things differently (Something I feel rather strongly this year)? Well, that's where Lent can help. Ash Wednesday serves as our wake-up call at the beginning of Lent. It is a time to identify the things we have done wrong or wish we could change or do differently. Then we can choose to do something about them during the next 40 days of Lent (a great adult alternative to "Giving Something up", which I will expand on in a later post).

The tradition of receiving ashes has its origins in the Old Testament, where sinners performed acts of public penance. It was Pope Urban II who in the 11th century recommended that all Catholics take part in the practice of receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday. In the 12th century it became customary that the ashes used on Ash Wednesday were made by burning the previous year�s palm branches.

Ash Wednesday is also a day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. According to Church law, Catholics older than the age of 14 are supposed to abstain from meat. In addition, those between the ages of 18 and 59, not including pregnant or nursing mothers, should eat only one full meal. Smaller amounts of food not as much as a full meal (?�) may be eaten in the morning and either at lunchtime or dinner, depending on when you eat your full meal.

TomC

Best! Commercial! Ever!

There is a live action video of this commercial online as well. You can even edit it to your liking if you want. Even better!

Seems to me I want to go out and buy some Old Spice Deodorant now. How about you?

haha,

TomC

Consuegra #9 Maduro

Consuegra are the bundled segundos and production overruns made at the Villazon factory in Honduras - the makers of Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur, El Rey del Mundo, JR Ultimates, etc. They average about $1 a stick, a VERY reasonable price for a hand rolled stogie. I generally dont plug retailers, but I have founf that the best place to find these cigars is at JR Cigars. While I have enjoyed several of the sizes, I would have to say that (like many other cigarophiles) like the #9 Rothchild Maduro the Best. And that is the cigar I review tonight.

This cigar is of fairly amazing quality considering its less than drug store machine made price. While it does look a little rough, it was had a rich dark tone to it and the stogie smelled terrific. This particular cigar also seemed feirm and devoid of soft spots (which will occasionally occur in these bundles, as well as less than perfect rolls, or minor color variations. Practice rolled cigars perhaps?). It lit easily, the draw was nice, and it produced a good amount of smoke (sometime because of the fill the draw can be uneven, because of the fill, but in a bundle of "seconds" this should be occasionally expected). This cigar has pretty decent straightforward maduro taste, notes of leather, cedar, dark chocolate, and leather. A little tang mixed in there as well. It really doesnt develop much beyond the basic "maduro" flavor, but it really isnt expected. Straightforward and satisfying.

In general, If you are looking for an "everyday" or budget smoke, I suggest trying this one. In the hit or miss world of budget cigars, this brand is definately a hit. And you cant complain about the price $1.15 per stick delivered. A staple in my humidor, for sure.


TomC

Eat, Drink, & Be Merry. . .

Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French. The name comes from the tradition of slaughtering and feasting upon a fattened calf on the last day of Carnival. The day is also known as Shrove Tuesday (from "to shrive," or hear confessions), Pancake Tuesday and fetter Dienstag. The custom of making pancakes comes from the need to use up fat, eggs and dairy before the fasting and abstinence of Lent begins.

Mardi Gras, has grown in popularity in recent years as a raucous, sometimes hedonistic event. But its roots lie in the Christian calendar, as the "last hurrah" before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. That's why the enormous party in New Orleans, for example, ends abruptly at midnight on Tuesday, with battalions of streetsweepers pushing the crowds out of the French Quarter towards home.


Since I intend to be better at observing lenten sacrifices and tradition this year, why not start with the hedonism of fat tuesday. Since I cannot get to the carribean or N'awlins, maybe I will hunt down a tradition foodstuff (I always used to make either Jumbalaya or the richest thing I could think of). While I have never had a "Pancake Tuesday", I have doen the Polish Paczki thing before. There seem to be other traditions, though.



In Sweden the day before Ash Wednesday is known as fettisdagen ("Fat Tuesday") in Swedish. The day is marked by eating a traditional pastry, called semla, filled with marzipan and whipped cream. Originally, the pastry was only eaten on this day, served with hot milk, but eventually it became tradition to eat it on every Tuesday leading up to Easter.

In Iceland the day is known as "Sprengidagur" (Bursting day) and is marked with the eating of salt meat and peas.

In Estonia (Vastlapäev) and Finland (Laskiainen), this day is associated with hopes for the coming year. On this day, families go sledding and eat split pea and ham soup.




Those all sound good, and I do have a hankering for Pea Soup. I suppose I will find something (which I may tell you more about tomorrow.

TomC

Kindyll Dorsey

I don't really talk about it much, but in the dead sports time of the year (where only Spring Training would distract me) I do follow a little college basketball. From Two schools: Ohio State (the school I attended) and Boston College (who I followed when I was little). Well today I will mention my favorite college basketball player, BC's Kindyll Dorsey. Both Dorsey (about 8pts a game) and BC (13-13) seem to be having a down season, but last year she helped fuel the team through a suprising tournament run. During the 06-07 Season, Dorsey was second on the team in minutes played (1,081), field goal attempts (319) and field goals made (137). Also, she Led the team in most three-pointers made (72) (third in the ACC conference), most three-pointers attempted (187) and percentage (.385). The sharpshooter also owns the Boston College record for the most three-pointers made in an NCAA tournament game with six against Ohio State on March 21st, 2006. Shes just one of them scrappy type middle talent gamers I adore rooting for.

Hopefully her senior season will be more productive than this one.

TomC

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI FOR LENT 2007

Seemed important to include the Popes Message regarding lent this year after the post last night.

“They shall look on Him
whom they have pierced” (Jn 19:37)

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

“They shall look on Him whom they have pierced” (Jn 19:37). This is the biblical theme that this year guides our Lenten reflection. Lent is a favourable time to learn to stay with Mary and John, the beloved disciple, close to Him who on the Cross, consummated for all mankind the sacrifice of His life (cf. Jn 19:25). With a more fervent participation let us direct our gaze, therefore, in this time of penance and prayer, at Christ crucified who, dying on Calvary, revealed fully for us the love of God. In the Encyclical Deus caritas est, I dwelt upon this theme of love, highlighting its two fundamental forms: agape and eros.

God’s love: agape and eros

The term agape, which appears many times in the New Testament, indicates the self-giving love of one who looks exclusively for the good of the other. The word eros, on the other hand, denotes the love of one who desires to possess what he or she lacks and yearns for union with the beloved. The love with which God surrounds us is undoubtedly agape. Indeed, can man give to God some good that He does not already possess? All that the human creature is and has is divine gift. It is the creature then, who is in need of God in everything. But God’s love is also eros. In the Old Testament, the Creator of the universe manifests toward the people whom He has chosen as His own a predilection that transcends every human motivation. The prophet Hosea expresses this divine passion with daring images such as the love of a man for an adulterous woman (cf. 3:1-3). For his part, Ezekiel, speaking of God’s relationship with the people of Israel, is not afraid to use strong and passionate language (cf. 16:1-22). These biblical texts indicate that eros is part of God’s very heart: the Almighty awaits the “yes” of His creatures as a young bridegroom that of his bride. Unfortunately, from its very origins, mankind, seduced by the lies of the Evil One, rejected God’s love in the illusion of a self-sufficiency that is impossible (cf. Gn 3:1-7). Turning in on himself, Adam withdrew from that source of life who is God Himself, and became the first of “those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage” (Heb 2:15). God, however, did not give up. On the contrary, man’s “no” was the decisive impulse that moved Him to manifest His love in all of its redeeming strength.

The Cross reveals the fullness of God’s love

It is in the mystery of the Cross that the overwhelming power of the heavenly Father’s mercy is revealed in all of its fullness. In order to win back the love of His creature, He accepted to pay a very high price: the blood of His only begotten Son. Death, which for the first Adam was an extreme sign of loneliness and powerlessness, was thus transformed in the supreme act of love and freedom of the new Adam. One could very well assert, therefore, together with Saint Maximus the Confessor, that Christ “died, if one could say so, divinely, because He died freely” (Ambigua, 91, 1956). On the Cross, God’s eros for us is made manifest. Eros is indeed – as Pseudo-Dionysius expresses it – that force “that does not allow the lover to remain in himself but moves him to become one with the beloved” (De divinis nominibus, IV, 13: PG 3, 712). Is there more “mad eros” (N. Cabasilas, Vita in Cristo, 648) than that which led the Son of God to make Himself one with us even to the point of suffering as His own the consequences of our offences?

“Him whom they have pierced”

Dear brothers and sisters, let us look at Christ pierced in the Cross! He is the unsurpassing revelation of God’s love, a love in which eros and agape, far from being opposed, enlighten each other. On the Cross, it is God Himself who begs the love of His creature: He is thirsty for the love of every one of us. The Apostle Thomas recognized Jesus as “Lord and God” when he put his hand into the wound of His side. Not surprisingly, many of the saints found in the Heart of Jesus the deepest expression of this mystery of love. One could rightly say that the revelation of God’s eros toward man is, in reality, the supreme expression of His agape. In all truth, only the love that unites the free gift of oneself with the impassioned desire for reciprocity instills a joy, which eases the heaviest of burdens. Jesus said: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself” (Jn 12:32). The response the Lord ardently desires of us is above all that we welcome His love and allow ourselves to be drawn to Him. Accepting His love, however, is not enough. We need to respond to such love and devote ourselves to communicating it to others. Christ “draws me to Himself” in order to unite Himself to me, so that I learn to love the brothers with His own love.

Blood and water

“They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.” Let us look with trust at the pierced side of Jesus from which flow “blood and water” (Jn 19:34)! The Fathers of the Church considered these elements as symbols of the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist. Through the water of Baptism, thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit, we are given access to the intimacy of Trinitarian love. In the Lenten journey, memorial of our Baptism, we are exhorted to come out of ourselves in order to open ourselves, in trustful abandonment, to the merciful embrace of the Father (cf. Saint John Chrysostom, Catecheses, 3,14ff). Blood, symbol of the love of the Good Shepherd, flows into us especially in the Eucharistic mystery: “The Eucharist draws us into Jesus’ act of self-oblation … we enter into the very dynamic of His self-giving” (Encyclical Deus caritas est, 13). Let us live Lent then, as a “Eucharistic” time in which, welcoming the love of Jesus, we learn to spread it around us with every word and deed. Contemplating “Him whom they have pierced” moves us in this way to open our hearts to others, recognizing the wounds inflicted upon the dignity of the human person; it moves us, in particular, to fight every form of contempt for life and human exploitation and to alleviate the tragedies of loneliness and abandonment of so many people. May Lent be for every Christian a renewed experience of God’s love given to us in Christ, a love that each day we, in turn, must “regive” to our neighbour, especially to the one who suffers most and is in need. Only in this way will we be able to participate fully in the joy of Easter. May Mary, Mother of Beautiful Love, guide us in this Lenten journey, a journey of authentic conversion to the love of Christ. I wish you, dear brothers and sisters, a fruitful Lenten journey, imparting with affection to all of you, a special Apostolic Blessing.

From the Vatican, 21 November 2006.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Lent

Wednesday is the beginning of the Catholic season of Lent. I don't claim to be the best Catholic ever, (or even to agree with everything the church says), but I do consider myself to be practicing, and that Lent is an important time for self relfection and improvement. In an effort of learning for myself I was doing some research, and I thought I would share it here:

Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. Sundays are skipped during the count of the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection. Lent begins on 21 February 2007 and ends on 7 April 2007, which is the day before Easter.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Lent officially ends at sundown on 5 April (Holy Thursday), with the beginning of the mass of the Lord’s Supper.

Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. All churches that have a continuous history extending before AD 1500 observe Lent. The ancient church that wrote, collected, canonized, and propagated the New Testament also observed Lent, believing it to be a commandment from the apostles.

More In-Depth Info Regarding Lent:

If your church does not observe Lent, you can find out why.

You can read about fasting, which is a spiritual discipline that does not involve starvation or dehydration. You can also read Honest to God for an explanation of what we accomplish by observing Lent.

You can find out about Lenten fasting during medieval times.

Because Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, we skip over Sundays when we calculate the length of Lent. Therefore, in the Western Church, Lent always begins on Ash Wednesday, the seventh Wednesday before Easter.

In many countries, the last day before Lent (called Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, or Fasching) has become a last fling before the solemnity of Lent. For centuries, it was customary to fast by abstaining from meat during Lent, which is why some people call the festival Carnival, which is Latin for farewell to meat.

Holy Week is the last week of Lent, the week immediately preceding Easter Sunday. It is observed in many Christian churches as a time to commemorate and enact the suffering (Passion) and death of Jesus through various observances and services of worship. While some church traditions focus specifically on the events of the last week of Jesus’ life, many of the liturgies symbolize larger themes that marked Jesus’ entire ministry. Observances during this week range from daily liturgical services in churches to informal meetings in homes to participate in a Christian version of the Passover Seder.

In Catholic tradition, the conclusion to the week is called the Easter Triduum (a triduum is a space of three days usually accompanying a church festival or holy days that are devoted to special prayer and observance). Some liturgical traditions, such as Lutherans, simply refer to "The Three Days." (Palm Sunday, Holy or Maundy Thursday, & Good Friday). The Easter Triduum begins Thursday evening of Holy Week with Eucharist and concludes with evening prayers Easter Sunday.

My favorite Service of Holy Week is the Easter Vigil.

Blessed Be!

TomC

Christian Group Confused, Obviously Wants More Illegitimate Children and STDs

(EDIT: Project Plus, the orginization behind the campaign, has contacted me to inform that while they may agree with some Christian stances regarding prophylactics, they are not affiliated with any christian groups. They are a secular campaign putting forth their opinions.)

Article Posted here.

MEDIA ADVISORY, Feb. 15 /Christian Newswire/ -- Yesterday, on hundreds of college campuses nationwide, students were handed a Hershey’s kiss with a free condom. This “Condom and a Kiss” campaign has been going on for several years and is a way for students who practice contraception or support it to spread their message and their products.

But yesterday, a new player entered the field. At the University of Mary Washington , a public university in Virginia, a group of students, called Project Plus, have been actively spreading a message opposed to this mentality via posters and articles in the school newspaper. Contradictory to the normally sexually spurred activities of Valentine’s Day, these students reached out to their peers with a message that “True Love is worth more than Contraception”. With full sized Hershey’s Chocolate Bars with that message on the front, they passed out 360 bars in less than 2 hours, even on a snow day for the small school which canceled classes. Perhaps because of the snow, the “Condom and a Kiss” campaign that the group hoped would be present did not show up. But they still had lots of good conversations and both positive and negative responses. As students entered the popular student café, members of Project Plus asked them if they would like a free candy bar. The most popular response was “No… wait, you said free?” The students were astonished that anyone would be handing out so much chocolate for free!

The theme of the chocolate bar give-away was “Without Contraception, you get so much more”, an analogy pertaining to the tiny Hershey’s Kisses that the “Condom and a Kiss” campaign hands out with condoms, compared to full sized Hershey’s bars. Inside the candy wrapper it read, “It makes sense that condoms are handed out today with nothing more than a tiny chocolate kiss. This reflects how little love you can express while using one. Using contraception tells your lover, ‘I don’t want to share every part of myself with you.’”



Did anybody besides me notice the part of your average Christian anti-Contraception campaigns that is missing here? Yeah thats right, the abstinence part! The part how sex before marriage is bad! While misguided in its ability to sway college students, at least abstinence is consistant as a Christian birth control method, if you don't have sex, then you can't get an STD or have a child.

This article is either horribly worded or this campaign is deluded in its idea. Is it a good idea to tell college students the BS line that you are less of a lover when you use contraception, so next time they have sex they run out and have it unprotected to prove they are? Does this help them be better chrsitians? I think not. It helps them be less informed, and probably less and formed with a higher risk from STDs. Asinine. . . I hope I am reading this wrong.

TomC

Plugging An Awesome Red Sox Project!

This is a great project! Red Sox bloggers unite to chronicle the Top 100 Boston Red Sox players in their storied franchise history. You can read more at http://top100redsox.blogspot.com/.





TomC

My First Picture Blogging Experiment!

yummy italian food in toledo!



(yep my first picture and text blog from my phone, shown above. It took me half a month to figure out how to claim my mobile posts, this is being edited on 03/12, but now I know! Isn't technology great?? In case one was curious, I had a tasty Lasagna and Chicken Parmesean combo! mmmmmmmm!)

TomC

First Cell Phone Mobile Blog Test

Testing testing. . . . .



(now I get to go mobile with my blogging)


TomC

Freedom of Conscience Day/Wall Between Church and State

C/O DefCon

"Our Founding Fathers knew that a strong American democracy, and religious freedom for all, required building a wall between church and state. Despite this, religious right leaders like James Dobson, Beverly LaHaye, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson have waged war both on this central American principle and the freedoms it allows. Their campaign hopes to revise American history, ignoring our commitment to the separation of church and state and replacing it with a government based on their narrow ideology.

Fortunately, our founders made clear their opposition to the mixing of government and religion. Leaders like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison frequently commented on the importance of separating church and state, and, in the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli, George Washington's administration emphatically stated, "the government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion."


If you agree with this, please send it on to your Representatives and local media outlets. Religion is great, and it has its place. Politics is not it.

TomC

Quote of the Day

“Anyone who misquotes me on the floor of the House while claiming to support war is a total chumpwad.”

–Abraham Lincoln, 1859

Great, huh?

TomC

borrowed form here.

Cuban Craftters Cutter

CUBAN CRAFTERS REVOLUCION CIGAR SCISSOR CUTTER FOR ALL SIZE CIGARS - 3 BLADES STAINLESS STEEL SCISSORS WITH WIDE HANDLES

Every now and then I think its okay to use this space just to show you guys some cool stuff that I want. Today its a pretty looking showpiece of a cigar cutter. Evidently, some reliable sources said it is a reliable cutter as well as a conversation starter (And not very expensive either - roughly $19.99 plus shipping). Comes with a lifetime waranty. well if anyone wants to bribe me, thats a good way to start.

Thank you for your time, LOL,

TomC

Keith Foulke Retires

"Foulke to the set, the 1-0 pitch, here it is...swing and a ground ball, stabbed by Foulke. He has it. He underhands to first. And the Boston Red Sox are the World Champions. For the first time in 86 years, the Red Sox have won baseball's world championship. Can you believe it?"

-- Joe Castiglione (October 27, 2004)


http://www.wpxi.com/mlb/11032710/detail.html

Keith Foulke Retires

Winter Haven, FL -- (Sports Network) - Keith Foulke unexpectedly announced his retirement on Friday.

Signed by Cleveland in the offseason, Foulke was expected to be a key contributor in the Indians' revamped bullpen. However, Foulke, who had knee surgery before last season and was bothered by elbow, shoulder and back problems throughout his career, notified the team of his decision before taking the Indians' official physical.

The 34-year-old Foulke pitched in 44 games last year with the Red Sox and just 43 the season before after his stellar 2004 campaign.

Foulke saved 32 games and had a 2.17 earned run average in 2004, a season that culminated in Boston winning the World Series. However, his ERA rose to 5.91 in 2005 as Foulke saved just 15 games that season.

He failed to save a game last year as rookie sensation Jonathan Papelbon assumed Boston's closer role. Foulke then left the Red Sox this offseason when both parties decided not to exercise his 2007 contract option.

In 588 career games with the White Sox, San Francisco, Oakland and Boston, Foulke is 41-34 with a 3.30 ERA and 190 saves.

Foulke was expected to compete with Joe Borowski, who Cleveland also signed this offseason, for the closer's spot. The Indians traded longtime closer Bob Wickman to Atlanta last July.




As a Red Sox fan he will always be remembered as part of one of the best teams in sox history. It really is a shame his Career had to end so soon (he is only 34).


THANK YOU KEITH FOULKE!

TomC