Freedom of Speech

We really don't have freedom of speech in this country. Although you may not be legally punished for the words you speak, you are socially and economically punished and judged by phonies who hold a solid perch on the moral high ground.
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Black activists like Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson are the worse offenders. They can call New York "Hymietown" and stand by while Black rappers call each other "Niggers" in the most egregious fashion. But if a white guy like Don Imus makes an offhanded remark in a humorous nature, he is roundly condemned.
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Something said in humor is just that... you may not like the humor, it may be bad and in poor taste, but if it can be defined as humorous, the speaker gets a pass. Until, Sharpton passes judgement on the host of Black entertainers who freely use the "Nigger" phrase, he holds no credibility.
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Can't we be free to make our own judgement of a person's use of speech?
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Anybody who took Imus' characterization of the Rutger's women's basketball team as "Nappy Headed Hoes" seriously is the offender, and Imus holds no guilt for the acceptance of an off-handed remark as valid. What kind of idiot would buy into that phrase for a college women's basketball team as having any vestige of truth? That's the genesis of humor in such an outrageous statement.
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I don't need Al Sharpton to tell me that Imus's remark holds no credibility. If Imus continues to say stupid things, I have the choice to refuse to listen to him. Sharpton has every right to disagree, and absolutely no right to have Imus silenced.

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Imus made a bad joke. Sharpton insults all of us.

Turkey Effects

Joanne made a great turkey for Easter Dinner with Ryan, Courtney and Katelyn. Mike called from Washington DC. It was a nice Day.
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Zach Johnson won the Masters and gave the credit to Jesus. Did Jesus help him, to the detriment of all of the other golf competitors? Probably not. But his faith helped him to perform to the best of his ability... which was good enough today to carry him to victory.
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The turkey, combined with two Lagavulins, put me in a deep, trancelike sleep on the couch. I'll stay up and watch the Sopranos, then get ready to rock and roll this week at work.

Easter Sunday

Happy Easter.
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Peabody and I went to that Boatbuilding talk at the library given by a 30 something kid out of Bethlehem, Conn. He seemed like a nice guy. I had envisioned him in a flannel shirt with a pony tail and facial hair, but the stereotype proved wrong and he was clean cut and well spoken. Somehow that disapointed me.
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He started the talk by giving an autobiography which was a bit presumptuous, and ended up saying that he was drawn to boatbuilding because Jesus was a carpenter. Although his knowledge and work seemed good, he pretty much turned me off by that comment.
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I don't see how someone can base his life on a perception of how someone else must have been. It seems artificial and contrived.
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BTW, it is clear to me that Jesus was an Avatar - a more perfect embodiment of God in a human form. Mankind has had many appearances in my opinion. That doesn't lessen the importance of Jesus, so don't tool on me with Inquisition like zeal.

But for the life of me, I don't understand the leap of faith that says Jesus endured crucifixion for our sins. Can't see how that makes sense. How's that for blasphemy on Easter ?!
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On the other hand, a number of New Testament passages convince me that he was in touch with the true reason for man's potential and time on Earth. And I believe in the resurrection. In my opinion, the Shroud of Turin is the real deal.
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So if you want to act like Jesus, knock yourself out. Just remember that as much as he worked with wood, he also mightily pissed enough people off to get himself nailed. So pick your spots.

Lack of Motivation

I know that I said that today was going to be lousy weather, and that I would be working on taxes and the Sundance Web, but I got the web page up in a late night frenzy, and I really don't feel like doing the stinking taxes.
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But the temp is in the 30's and it sucks because it's so nice and sunny and should be comfortable. It's not. By the way, I'm really screwing with the birds because my feeder has been empty for days.
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So I have to rededicate to the tax drudgery.
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Jim Peabody wants me to go to a boatbuilding presentation at the Abbot Public Library at 2:00 and we have to get to the Maddie Gill birthday bash at 4:00.
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I'll put a tax push on until 1:00 and then go with Jim to see this rookie boatbuilding poser.

Web Revision

Sundance Web Site has been revamped. It's really an electronic flyer that directs prospective parents to call Joanne at the school. As I get older, I tend to appreciate straight forward, no frills information.

www.sundanceschool.com

Last week, the Massachusetts Office for Children inspector told Joanne that Sundance is considered the premier pre-school on the North Shore. That took a lot of the sting out of the elevator boondoggle.

Hidden Camera

Digital cameras and the Web can do a job on your privacy.
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Here, a regular meeting of the GD Sales Team is caught by an unscrupulous photographer.
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Mean people suck.

Good Friday

Anytime you have a bad day, it could always have been worse.
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That is what I would call a bad day ---->
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So why do they call it Good Friday?

Holiday Weekend

A weekend of tax preparation and web revisions. Happy Easter.
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I'm resolved to get the Sundance Corporate taxes, and my personal taxes done before dawn on Monday morning. In the lull periods, I'll tend to the Sundance web site which is hopelessly out of date and doesn't portray the new building.
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It's supposed to be 40 degree temps, so it's not like I'll be missing anything great outdoors.
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No ranting about the IRS or the Marblehead Building Department. After all, it's Good Friday.

Week 14 - Peep of the Week

OK Thrillseekers.
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It's your favorite time of the week.
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Why do you torture yourselves so? The chances of you being named a Peep of the Week are almost nonexistant. But still you pepper me with your pathetic emails....pining over the infintesimal possibility that you may be selected. I've told you time and again to get a life... but obviously to no avail.
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So you win. Once again, I attend to the weekly Thursday evening obligation with the stoic vigor that is part of my Celtic composition. Thank God that I have been blessed with the mental endurance to slug it out week after week.
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Enough BullShit?? I think so too.
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ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week - Week 14 of 2007

Tyler Gill
Patrick Piscatelli
Valerie Drapeau
Keith Richards
Dice K
Tommy O' Shea

On to next Thursday for the rest of you hurting buckaroos.

Fires of Purgatory

How bad can it be when Joanne reminds me that it is Peep of the Week day?
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Am I caught in a type of purgatory where I tumble from Thursdays to Thursdays in an endless, thankless duty to identify those hapless individuals who have met the annoying/inspiring Nanepashemet criteria?
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What a nightmare!!! What a burden! What a responsibility!!!
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Why Me????
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Nonetheless, she is right. This evening, an unfortunate/lucky few will receive the ultimate disgrace/honor..... selection as a Nanepashemet POTW. My congradulations/condolences.
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In the meantime, I'm heading to the Salem Waterfront Hotel for another day of state of the art professional services from Nanepashemet Project Management, Inc.
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Purgatory can wait. See you tonight.

Jeez

What do you think I do??? Blog all day??? I'm got to make a living too.
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Life is more than Blogs and Lagavulin... watching Rome, building the Tender, and bitching about the IRS and the Marblehead Building Department.
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There is a lot of stuff that I don't tell you about... because it's none of your God Damn Business. If I were you, I'd just keep up the hope that you never get labeled a POTW.

Nerd Employment

Joanne got a Dell Inspiron 1501 Laptop for her birthday, which was a risky move on my part, but she seems to really like it.
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I'm always amazed when I buy a new computer at the quantum leap that the technology seems to take since the last version. The Vista Windows operating system seems really neat, but the hooks are still there that cause enough confusion to give techie nerds job security.
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Everybody needs to eat.