save a beached whale-GOOD..save a dying human-BAD

I live in a coastal area. Dolphins, seals and whales occasionally wash ashore. And when they are still alive, there is always the usual mass mobilization of well-intended people sloshing water on the animal to keep it hydrated, or trying to poke its mouth with fish meal or whatever concoction they think will help. (maybe harbor seals prefer a soy-milk latte', no foam).These activities make these people feel really,really toasty inside.

I've also seen them pray. I have little doubt that these same folks who invoke God/Goddess's intervention on behalf of sea life are quite well versed on the separation of church and state and recoil at the thought of their kids studying creationism or repeating the Pledge of Allegiance (1954 version).

These outpourings of effort and humanity are naturally followed by a candle-light vigil if the beast succumbs to the will of Nature. (See, if the cetacean lives, it's God/dess...if it gives up the ghost, it's Gaea reclaiming what is Hers)

See"http://www.topangaonline.com/wboard/messages/3128.html

I'm convinced these same caring, contemplative individuals will grieve for Terri Schiavo with the same intensity and verve.....if only she were a porpoise.

Schiavo Chime In

Yes, it is tragic. I took the time to check out the timeline of events leading up to it, and the whole thing stinks. The husband is a jerk, the parents have their issues, Terri is stuck in the middle of all these people trying to decide for her what she wants. But it looks like her husband is on solid ground, and the whole thing should have stayed in Florida. It does not mean America is now a "Culture of Death" or anything else. It's just a sad thing that happened. Remember Republicans, states rights is one of "our issues" and it should apply even when we don't like the outcome.

Lube Job Baristas

So I went to the local quick oil change place today and I was struck by the Starbucks Coffee motif in the waiting room. Indeed the layout must have been the result of some focus group. I liked mechanic's shops when they had 4-year-old magazines and a couch from the 70's. It made you feel like this was a place where men who worked with greasy, dirty car parts and cussed and made fart jokes. Oh well, one more sanitized place for me to feel weird in.

Do you have to tenderize first?

You know you have lost your perspective...

...when you believe that CBS and NPR are "Bush's media lapdogs."

I'm encouraged by a couple of things that suggest Dean is going to bypass Bush's media lapdogs, who are pretty obvious in their intention to have some fun at his expense.First, Dean declined to appear on CBS News when they did not agree to refrain from using the "Dean Scream" speech.Now, this morning NPR was covering Dean's trip to Mississippi, and they said that Dean declined to speak with them.Looks like Dean has decided to go straight to the people and I say, right on. Who needs the whores.

From DU, of course. Keep 'em coming guys.

Supreme Court Fools

In this article we are told that justices Ginsburg and Stevens wonder where the "line should be drawn." (With respect to the display of religious symbols in public buildings.)

Where in these 16 words-- "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" is the confusion? This is 9th grade English folks. You don't need to go to law school to understand it, which is the point of it's simplicity.

How exactly does posting wisdom literature from a religious text establish a religion? Or does it somehow prohibit the free exercise of someone's religion?

I say this as someone with a graduate level degree who is presently pursuing yet another one --in general, the amount of education one attains is inversely proportionate to that person's ability to comprehend simple logic and common sense. It is a rare individual who survives graduate school and remains lucid. My 8 year old nefew could understand this. He should probably be on the supreme court.