Year end ramblings

Some random thoughts as we head into the new year:

There is a proportionate relationship of the increase in my age and my dislike of snow.

2010 has been the least healthy year of my life.

I finished my college courses, and now am the first member of my family to earn a college degree.

Just when I was starting to appreciate some of President Obama's accomplishments, the GOP kicked historic butt in the November Elections. Now nothing will get done, unless it benefits the pharmaceuticals.

Every man needs a good woman in his life. That doesn't necessarily mean he has to marry her...

Creation or evolution doesn't matter. But recognizing the fact we have one mouth and two ears means that however we got them, we are designed to listen twice as much as we talk.

My reading list is getting longer, but my reading time is getting shorter.

Being a misanthrope is easy, but not a lot of fun.

With all the mis-information flying around in the air, it's a wonder there aren't more mid-air collusions...

Why do we celebrate Columbus Day, when in four trips across the Atlantic he never set foot in North America?

Have you ever noticed how many sleep-aids list restlessness as a possible side-effect?

I had to take a written exam for an addition to my license. The woman asked me what language I wanted the test in. I said the same one as the street signs are written in...she thought I was being a wise-guy. I said it must make road test real easy...just take them to a sign that says "Bridge Out"...if they pass the sign they fail the test...among other things.

I don't know when, or how, but at some point watching pro sports just doesn't matter to me anymore. I think it was when I heard a reporter say "He might have to settle for 16 million a year"...

I used to love Kool-Aid when I was a kid, alcohol from 16-26, soft drinks until 40. Now I find nothing better than a good cup of tea. What the hell is happening to me?

It used to be the biggest nuisance with a telephone was a number that had a "9" in it....now it's when you have a slow song download because you're trying to open an attachment in your e-mail while tracking your flight...

Here's hoping your 2011 is better than 2010. Good health and happiness to all my readers.

Take care, friends.

Happy Virgin Birth, Jesus etc.

Today is December 25th.It is a remarkable day in religious history. Why? Because it is the day a person was born who:

Was a male.

Lived in ancient times.

Had a god for a father.

Had a human virgin for a mother.

Had their birth announced by a heavenly display.

Had their birth announced by celestial music.

Had an attempt on their life by a tyrant while they were still an infant

Met with a violent death.

Rose again from the dead.

I am speaking of course of Jesus Christ. And Hercules. And Mithra. And Hermes. And Prometheus. And Perseus. And Osiris. And Bacchus. And Horus. All of these historical figures match the above criteria.

Others who were also purported to have "virgin births" include Buddha, Romulus, Remus, Attis, Dionysus, Quirrnus, Indra, Zoroaster, Krishna, Fohi, Codom, Quetzalcoatl, and the Greek god Adonis who was born of the virgin Myrrha, many centuries before the birth of Jesus. He was born "at Bethlehem, in the same sacred cave that Christians later claimed as the birthplace of Jesus."(1)

In addition, virgin births were claimed for many Egyptian pharaohs, Greek emperors, and for Alexander the Great of Greece. Why are so many Earthly inhabitants said to have been born to virgins? To put it simply, it gives that person a status that is above normal, making them special. It was a great way to convince people to follow a normal human being. In today's language, it helped draw followers to a cult.

I have a friend who says that Osirus, and Horus, etc. are all synonyms for Satan. If that logic is true, and the tradition of their births are the same as Jesus', then isn't it logical to reason that Jesus is also another synonym for Satan? Or maybe the truth is that NONE of these characters are synonymous with Satan, since Satan is a Christian creation. It makes one wonder, doesn't it?

It certainly gives one reason to investigate a little further...to keep asking questions. For the only way to truly learn about anything is to ask questions, and keep asking until the answers make sense.

Take care my friends.


References
1-B.B. Walker, "The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets," Harper & Row, (1983), Page 10.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081227133417AAs84oB

http://www.religioustolerance.org/virgin_b1.htm

The problem with Santa

My full-time job requires me to drive groups of people in a limousine on joyous occasions. One thing I have noticed is that adults, when free of their children, feel it necessary to talk incessantly about those same offspring they are seeking relief from. A recurring theme among adults is the lack of respect for authority, and the sense of entitlement the younger generation has. Like most things I observe in life, I have a rather simple explanation for this phenomenon...Santa Claus.

I think that Santa Claus, or at least the concept of him, is the reason our children feel like the world revolves around their very existence. We were taught our whole lives that Santa only rewards good behavior, and neglects the bad children. Yet, when Junior has been suspended from school three times, is on probation for lighting fires in school, is on a first name basis with the truant officer, and is not allowed to possess a pocket knife by order of the court, he will no doubt find the newest video game system under the tree because, hey, it's Christmas. Where is the accountability?

I propose that parents keep a log of all the misdeeds their children commit during the year. Then, when presented with their child's list of desired gifts, assign a point value for each gift requested. Do the same with the misdeed list. Deduct the appropriate amount of points, and see if Junior even deserves a stick of gum when your done.

My kids used to have to do chores just to bring the balance up high enough to get Christmas dinner. Try it. It works.

Have a joyful, if undeservedly generous, holiday season my friends.

Where is the Justice?- The Fallout from Bernie Madoff

Unless you have lived in a remote village in Tibet, been in a coma, or like "Dancing with the Stars" et.al., you know the name Bernie Madoff. He was convicted of running the largest Ponzi Scheme not sponsored by a government ever. He was turned in by his two sons, who worked for him, but claim they had no involvement. Now, one of Bernie's sons, two years after Bernie's arrest, was found dead, an apparent suicide.

The whole Madoff story is a spectacular example of pyrrhic justice. Bernie began his scheme many years ago. Those early investors received regular dividend payments as they hoped they would. Everything was going fine until the two sons turned Bernie in. Once the government shut down the operation, all of Bernie's investors lost their money. Ironically, they were better off being scammed by Bernie than being protected by the government. Of course, at some point, the scheme would have to collapse, as all Ponzi schemes do, but for now all was well and good.

Another story in the news this week centered on the "justice" of the government, as they went after Carl and Ruth Shapiro, early investors with Bernie Madoff. The Shapiros first invested in 1961, and the government estimates that they earned $1 BILLION dollars with Bernie's company. In a strange perversion of justice, the government sued the Shapiros for the $1 Billion they had collected as dividends from their investments. In other words, the government sued a victim of the crime to repay other victims of the same crime. Oh, you don't think the Shapiros were victims? This article will show otherwise. What makes this even worse is that the Shapiros are HUGE philanthropists in the Boston area. You cannot find a hospital, museum, or other humanitarian building or organization that doesn't count the Shapiros among its benefactors. Upon the arrest of Mr. Madoff, the Shapiros reluctantly notified the community that no new philanthropic efforts could be made. It is a massive blow to the community, and there are many people whose lives will have less quality because of the losses incurred by the shutdown of Madoff's operation.

Bernie Madoff committed a crime. That's indisputable. The abrupt shutdown of that operation cost many people money. Many others lost the philanthropic efforts of the Shapiros. And Mark Madoff, one of the people who turned in his own father, has lost his life. Is the acquisition of all that money really worth the human costs? The Shapiros used their gains for the benefit of others...Bernie Madoff was just plain greedy. But I do have to wonder about something...was it really necessary to for all these people to lose everything?

I feel that something could have been done differently, I'm just not sure what. I have ideas, but thinking through the execution of them points out numerous flaws. And the more I think about all those people whose lives have been detrimentally affected, the worse I feel. Maybe that's why Mark Madoff committed suicide...just imagine the emotional strain he has lived with for two years, and all because he tried to do something right. And that, in itself, is a whole new level of tragic.

Maybe my poverty is a blessing after all.

Take care, my friends.