Fay Hates Florida

...and Cuba, and Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Either that or this storm has a serious case of aquaphobia. Check out the storm track.

The Importance of Humility

I received a video from two separate people yesterday. This video perfectly illustrates two important truths in life:

1) No matter how great we may think we are, we must always remain humble.

2) Pain is God's megaphone.

When to Vote Democrat

CMR's post, A Tale of Two Parties, touched on something I've been pondering for quite some time now. If abortion was off the table as a deciding issue in a presidential election, what secondary criteria would Catholics use to choose a candidate? All of a sudden, all of those social issues which have been falsely touted as "proportionate reasons" by liberal pseudo-Catholics would have to be seriously considered.

In this election, I think the choice is clear. McCain may not be the candidate that conservative Catholics wanted, but he is far better than the alternative. A president who is moderately pro-life with a running mate who is pro-abortion is still better than a president who would defend partial birth abortion until the end of time and appoint Supreme Court Justices who would do the same. Face it, if Obama were any more pro-abortion, he'd send jack booted thugs house to house exterminating children under the age of 5.

In elections to come however, things could get very interesting. A pro-abortion Republican against, who knows what kind of Democrat? All bets will be off! If the Democrats put up anyone who is even remotely qualified I will be very tempted to vote... Dem... Demoooo... Democraaaaa...

DE...MO...CRAT!
(Ew! I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit).

Socially indifferent Republicans seem to think that they would more than make up for the loss of the pro-life Christian crowd by attracting the fiscally conservative pro-death crowd currently trapped in the Democrat party. I would soooo love to prove them wrong.

There are currently 64 million Catholics in the US. There were less than 124 million votes cast in the 2004 election. If all of the people who claim to be Catholic voted like Catholics, BOTH parties would be pro-life.

The John Kerrys, Ted Kennedys and Nancy Pelosis of this world will have a lot to answer for in the next. So too may the clergy members who fail to address this problem with swift and decisive action. The United States of America may be a representative democracy but the Catholic Church is not!

Blue Moon Belgian White

That last post made me thirsty. If you like beer or if your into web design (or especially if you like both) check out Blue Moon Brewing Company's website.

On the beer side of things, their Belgian White served with a large slice of orange is some of the best brew I've had in ages. If you like to try something different now and then, I highly recommend it.

For you web designers, this web site is really artsy and imaginative. Much different than your average corporate site. Take a look and you'll see what I mean.

Oh, and did I mention the beer was good?

New Obama Sign

Found this gem through the Curt Jester.



After seeing a multitude of parodies on the web, I couldn't resist adding one of my own.



Bon Appetit!

Paris '08

All I've heard so far is her proposed energy policy and her policy on tanning but I must admit that I whole heartedly agree with both.

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

If she takes a pro-life stand I guess I'm in. If the country's going down in flames, I would at least like to be entertained. You might want to get your Paris '08 gear now before supplies run out.

Love for Your SEC Rivals

Sooooo... What do you think of Tennessee?

Solar Powered Kayak

Pricey, but cool nonetheless.



More on the SPK-1 here.

Where Are They Now: World Trade Center

I just found out via e-mail that 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center has been recycled into the most appropriate use I could ever imagine.



Yeah! A big ol' recycled can of American Whoop-Ass, carrying a crew of 360 sailors and 700 angry Marines ready to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft. Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, LA to cast the ship's bow section. It is the fifth in a new class of warship (San Antonio Class) designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists.

Someone should place this story in Wikipedia under "Poetic Justice". If you want to learn more there's a USS New York Website.

Memo to Terrorists: Leave stuff in this country alone! If you didn't like it before, you're REALLY not gonna like what we make with it after you blow it up!

The Dirty Harry BBQ Grill

GO AHEAD PUNK!

GRILL MY STEAK!



Hat tip to Mike M. for this one.

Graph of Doom

This can't be good.



I'll admit I'm no economist. I'm no farmer either, but I think I'd know a dead cow if I saw one. Can anyone explain what the hell just happened here!?

Amputated Arm Attached Again After Alligator Attack

(Alliteration is Awesome.)

This story is amazing!

First, an 11 year old boy in Slidell, LA gets his arm torn off by an 11 foot long alligator. Then, a local deputy finds the gator, kills it and RETRIEVES THE ARM FROM IT'S STOMACH! I guess the boy's doctors would have thought it would be rude to discard the arm after what the deputy went through to get it back, so THEY REATTACHED IT! No word yet on whether or not he will regain use of the arm but everyone involved gets A's for effort.

Ready to Duck Hunt Yet?

Too bad. The season doesn't open for weeks.

You'll just have to try your hand at the online version until then.

Slate Ridicules Intelligent Design

Darwin's theory of evolution really doesn't bother me the way it seems to bother fundamentalist Christians. In fact it seems quite logical. It doesn't seem to bother the Catholic Church all that much either. What IS irritating is when some pompous antitheist tries to hijack the theory of evolution and use it as some sort of proof that God does not exist.

Christopher Hitchens tag teams with Richard Dawkins to come up with this gem in yesterday's edition of Slate.

"Vestigial eyes, for example, are clear evidence that these cave salamanders must have had ancestors who were different from them—had eyes, in this case. That is evolution. Why on earth would God create a salamander with vestiges of eyes? If he wanted to create blind salamanders, why not just create blind salamanders? Why give them dummy eyes that don't work and that look as though they were inherited from sighted ancestors?"

Well there you go. God's idea of what a blind salamander should look like does not agree with Richard Dawkins' idea of what a blind salamander should look like. Therefor, God does not exist.

Brilliant!

...or maybe God gave blind, cave dwelling salamanders vestigial eyes for the same unknown reason He gave antitheistic liberals vestigial brains.

(Oooh lookey, I can be a pompous jerk too!)

Wall Street Journal on Our Current Situation

If you are wondering how the Great Depression relates to our current financial downturn, read this article in the Wall Street Journal. In fact, read it even if you're not wondering about it. This line from the article sums it up for me.

"Leverage," as the laying-on of debt is known in the trade, is the Hamburger Helper of finance. It makes a little capital go a long way, often much farther than it safely should.

Well said. I haven't become a survivalist yet, but I am becoming more convinced every day that we are headed for some tough times.

New York Times on Holly Beach, LA

A friend sent me this story on Holly Beach, LA published in the New York Times.

"On the beach, signs warned swimmers of high levels of bacteria.
Swimmers paid no attention."

It may not be entirely flattering but I'd say it's accurate (particularly the last paragraph).

Baby Got Book

Kudos to Thomas Peters over at AmP for finding this one. A hilarious adaptation of Sir Mixalot's 1992 hit.



"...and if you're Catholic, there's even more."

Remote Controlled Beer Cooler

Whatever you choose to do with yours, I doubt it would be funnier than this.

War by Wire

I just saw this story on CNN. From a purely technological standpoint, this is amazing.

Are You, "That Guy"

There's always one guy at work who everyone else thinks is an idiot. If you can't think of who this person is, it may be you.

Luckily, there's a test that will tell you definitively whether or not you are an annoying jerk.

In the interest of full disclosure, I did take the test. Although I did admit to making "Office Space" references, I still scored high enough to be considered "Cool".

Home Schooling

I thought this article was worth sharing. It's about home schooling and some of the possible reasons secular society frowns upon it.

My Faith Healer Can Beat Up Your Faith Healer

I just saw this story on Nightline. Our faith tells us that miracles are possible. However, this guy looks more than a little shady to me.

Carpentry, Plumbing and Electrical Work, All in One Day

I had an interesting 4th & 5th of July. My washing machine decided to start leaking water all over the wash room. This one problem then snowballed into a whole range of repairs which had to be made, much like unraveling a cable knit sweater.

The washing machine control valve was leaking causing the water to overflow in the wash tub. The shut off valve was also leaking which meant that I couldn't turn off the water at the connection behind the washer. I had to shut off the water to the whole house. Once the water was off, I noticed that the electrical outlet that both the washer and dryer were plugged into was not a GFCI outlet. Since it was within 1 foot of both a water line AND the gas line to the dryer, I now had to change the electrical outlet as well. During the process of replacing the leaking shut off valve, the copper pipes INSIDE the wall began leaking (more like gushing water from behind the paneling). Now I've got to shut off the water to the house again and chop a large gaping hole in the wall with a reciprocating saw to see what's going on behind the paneling. The hot water line is now bent and separated from the T connection at the valve (GRRRRRRR). It bent and broke because it was not mounted to a 2x4 inside the wall which meant I also had to install a 2x4 brace behind the pipes. After a quick trip to the hardware store (compression fittings, solder, propane torch) I returned more prepared to injure myself than ever before. I won't bore you with the repair details. Suffice it to say I fixed it all and covered up the hole in the wall with a slightly less ugly piece of plywood (it's all hidden behind the washer & dryer anyway).





I know this is dull reading but I spent so much time working on this that I'm posting it anyway.

The Illusion of Freedom

America! Land of the free. Home of the brave. You are even free to leave the country. According to a newly enacted law however, your assets will be confiscated at the border. I guess the federal government is afraid the rich people might leave before our new executive leadership has a chance to tax us all into prosperity. After all, you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.

At least we know where the federal government stands on the issue of controlling the border. Illegal aliens can come and go as they please BUT AMERICAN CITIZENS' MONEY STAYS HERE!

Cate's Funeral

For being 7 months old, Cate sure made a lot of friends in a short period of time. The church was packed. The music selections were truly inspired (I'm sure my wife will cry every time she hears "Never let go" by Matt Redman). However, it was the Old Testament reading that struck me the most. The reading selected was the mass reading for June 24, 2008 (the day Cate passed away).

Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Cate did not toil in vain. She was truly a light to the nations. It is my hope and prayer the thousands of people who were touched by her life and death are left with a permanent impression on their hearts that might lead them to a deeper understanding of the sacrifice that God made for all of us in giving us his only Son.

Peace.

Funeral Services for Baby Cate

Baby Cate's blog is updated with a message from her parents. I haven't had the heart to read past the first few sentences. I can't imagine what it took to write it.

The funeral home also has a very nice obituary for Baby Cate. I thought I'd link to it in case someone was interested in reading it or signing the guest book.

Rest in Peace Cate Cantrell

I did not want to post anything until on this until I knew it was public knowledge. Sadly, Baby Cate has passed away. As much as we all prayed for her, she is now with our Lord in Heaven praying for her family. Please continue to pray with her, for her family.

Until we meet again...

Cate Cantrell Needs Your Prayers

Charlie Cantrell and I made Cursillo together a million years ago. My wife and I and He and Ali (his wife) all worked together preparing the youth of our parish for confirmation (about half a million years ago). They are an incredible example of what, "living your faith" really means.

Their youngest daughter, Cate was born with heart defects. They are currently at Children's Hospital in Texas where Cate underwent surgery to try to correct some of those defects over a week ago. Unfortunately, the surgery did not go as well as everyone had hoped. She is now fighting for her life. If you want a lesson in "how to place your faith and trust in God", please take the time to visit Baby Cate's blog.

Please pray for Cate Cantrell and her mom and dad. This is truly their hour of need.

Obama's Policy on Drilling: No We Can't.

Rather than put words in his mouth I'll let him speak for himself:



He mentioned several things that I want to discuss.

1) Sen. Obama would tax oil company's profits to fund some sort of tax break and/or rebate for taxpayers. If this actually takes place oil companies will react just as any other business would. They will either manage their production in order to minimize reported profits (which they do now), INCREASE their prices or (most likely) a combination of both in order to offset the increased (and altogether artificial) tax burden. This means you and I will pay MORE at the pump, NOT LESS! What about Sen. Obama's tax break you say? Given the efficiency of government and the laws of economics we just discussed, I'd guess that in the event you actually receive $1,000.00 in tax relief, you will have spent $2,500.00 or more in taxes and/or fuel charges to get it.

2) It would take 30 years to develop new domestic oil fields. Sen. Obama must have gotten his notes mixed up because this is patently untrue. It may take 30 years to move to an alternative source of energy, but you can't tell me it will take 30 years to keep using what we already have! Five years ago, the Independence Hub gas platform did not exist in the Gulf of Mexico. As of today, it produces about 5% of the Nation's natural gas supply. Oil companies are also producing millions of gallons of oil off the West Coast of Africa. This area has virtually no infrastructure and there are ongoing civil wars in many regions. These undeveloped countries also demand that a large percentage of the labor used to develop these oilfields be performed using local laborers. In most cases local laborers are unskilled and must be trained, adding to the overall expense. In spite of all this, West Africa has developed very rapidly (i.e. quicker than 30 years) and contributes significantly to the world oil supply. We could develop fields along the US coastline much more quickly and efficiently. 20 to 30 years to develop an oil field is an absolutely ridiculous notion.

3) Drilling and production operations would ruin the coastline and the environment. While it is undeniable that there will be risks of oil spills in any location where drilling and production activities occur, these spills (at least in the gulf of Mexico) have historically been relatively small. A leak of 100 barrels a day would be large for this region. In my opinion, the net effect of installing large offshore production platforms has been environmentally positive when you consider the habitat that these structures provide for an incredibly variety of sea life. Ask any fisherman or offshore oilfield worker and they will tell you that these structures hold and produce fish abundantly. I live in Louisiana and I can tell you with authority that the threat to the environment here is not oil spills. It is the unchecked coastal erosion that is washing away 25 to 35 square miles of our wetlands every year. If Sen. Obama wants to help out, he can start by keeping our wetlands from washing away into the ocean, not by waging war on the companies which provide the very energy to which this country has become addicted.

4) We must focus on alternative energy sources. I wanted to mention this point because it is one of the few points on which I must agree with Sen. Obama. At the risk of having my "Evil Oil" membership card revoked, we DO need to develop alternative energy sources which are renewable, cleaner and more efficient. I just don't think that we should focus on these sources exclusively, to the detriment of existing sources. Oil is readily available and perhaps more importantly, the infrastructure to use it already exists. Moving to another energy source will be a very gradual shift, not the overnight change that Sen. Obama seems to think it will be.

5) If we were to explore and produce more oil domestically, the additional supply would have NO effect on oil prices. This flies in the face of basic economics. While the net effect of the additional supply on the overall price of oil is certainly a nebulous question, there would definitely be SOME effect and the effect would certainly be positive. The price of oil will NEVER come down through a policy of taxing oil companies and NOT drilling for more oil.

In short, refusing to drill for oil within our own borders while putting ALL your hopes in unproven (albeit cleaner) energy technologies is a bit like refusing to eat the leftovers in the fridge because you have a cow in your back yard which will someday make great steaks. It makes more sense to do both, does it not?

Yak Stuff

I found a great way to secure my kayak to my trailer.



It's a Master Lock Python. The cable fits through the scupper holes so I can lock it to anything. Very nice.

Zone Defense

Happy Father's Day to all you Fathers out there! I suppose this is as good a day as any to announce that my wife and I will soon be forced to shift our defensive strategy from man-to-man coverage to zone defense. That's right, we are expecting our third child and we will be outnumbered!

Posting may be light starting in January. Wish us luck. Better yet, keep us in your prayers.

Rapture Racket

Hat tip to Van Kirby for finding this one. For $40/year, the web site www.youvebeenleftbehind.com automatically sends your loved ones messages in the event that you are taken up in the "Rapture". I hope I don't offend anyone, but as a Catholic I find this site quite amusing since we don't subscribe to Rapture Theology. Even if only 100 people to subscribe to the service, that's $4000/year for virtually nothing but electronic storage space. You don't have to build a fancy failsafe device to actually send the messages because the event will never happen (at least not as defined by your average Fundamentalist). Even if it did, it's not like there would be any consequences for not sending any of those messages out. I find it hard to believe that any of those folks would come back down from heaven and file a class action law suit against the owner of the web site?

What an awesome racket.

DeColores Cursillistas!

I'm just wondering if anyone out there who might be reading this is a Cursillista. I made Cursillo 337 (young men's 52) in Prarie Rhonde, LA.

Anyone else?

What's your Cursillo number?

Catholic Disinformation

This article makes me wonder whether E.J. Dionne is ignorant or intentionally misleading in his remarks. Surely someone who has spent so much time in and around Catholic institutions would have been exposed to the concept of transubstantiation. E.J. should know that, for a Catholic, the Eucharist is God. Encouraging people to act in opposition to God and then presenting yourself to receive the very God you oppose is insanity, not to mention blasphemy. It's sort of like joining PETA and working at a slaughter house at the same time.

E.J. makes a selective reference to one specific sentence in the USCCB's statement "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" and then ignores the rest of the 44 page document which clearly states that voting for a candidate who supports abortion is unacceptable unless all of the candidates in the race support abortion to roughly the same degree, in which case you can stay home or vote for the candidate who you think will do the least damage and/or most good in other areas (see section 36 of the document).

So I ask you, is this yellow journalism or just really, really, reeeeaaaallllly poor journalism? Either way, I'm disappointed in E.J. I hope he reads the other 44 pages of the USCCB's statement and works to "fully form" his conscience as the document suggests.

Flight of the Bumblebee on an Accordian

I was on vacation last week so I haven't posted for a while. I couldn't pass this up though. This guy is amazing.



I'm guessing he types 45,948 words per minute.

National Guard Unit Takes a Final Look at Tiger Stadium

I received these photos via e-mail from a friend of mine. The e-mail said they were taken by National Guard troops heading for Iraq. I can't be sure if that's the actual origin but they are great shots so I thought I'd post 'em.










As always, keep our troops in your prayers.

Bonnet Carre Spillway

I went to OTC a couple of weeks ago to check out what's new in the Gulf of Mexico, exploration and production wise. We had to fly over to New Orleans to pick up another passenger before heading over to Houston. As luck would have it, we flew right by the Bonnet Carre spillway and one of the engineering interns that flew with us happened to have his camera.

The photo is clearer if you click on it (the Mississippi river is the portion above the spillway). After seeing the spillway open, I decided to do a little research into the history and development of this flood protection system. I found a very interesting article here with maps and photos that I thought did a good job of explaining just that.

Evil Minions Wanted

As a card carrying member of the Evil Oil Empire, I found this article in the Energy Tribune to be spot on.


An Excerpt:

North America: Here an energy worker can be hated as an evil profiteer and Dick Cheney protégé. People believe such a worker spends half his time mired in laborious ignorance in Oklahoma or Louisiana and the other half as part of an omniscient cosmopolitan conspiracy to control energy prices and kill cheap renewable energy via secret meetings in Geneva. The third half of his time is spent killing puffins and caribou for sport.

WWJND (What Would Jack Nicholson Do): "I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps, posting anti-oil garbage on the internet using the very energy I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you," and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you sell your car and live in a yurt. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!" [paraphrased from "A Few Good Men"]

I guess providing energy for the entire planet does not make one popular, at least not as popular as other things which seem to require no positive and/or measurable results...



Update 5/19/08: It seems I forgot to link to the article (now linked above).

Cemetery of the Innocents Display Vandalized

A pro life organization called Pointers for Life set up a "Cemetery of the Innocents" display on the Campus of the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. The display was approved by the University and all of the appropriate paperwork was completed, however one student senator took it upon himself to begin ripping the small crosses from the ground and flinging them about in a fit of self righteousness. You really need to check out the video on YouTube (I would have embedded it but the code was removed from YouTube). You can read the story here.

I would love to simply rant about this but I guess if I am to live my faith I have to urge everyone to pray for this STUPID JERK!

Kayak Rigging

Did a little rigging on my kayak this evening. Nothing revolutionary, just a couple of rod holders added to the crate in back. My kayak came with built in rod holders but the rods would stick out at an odd angle and get caught in various obstructions while fishing. I think having them stored vertically will be much less of a hassle.



I also took a picture of my setup for storing my yak. Probably not the best idea to hang the thing from the ends but it works, it's out of the way and it was easy to install. Just a couple of those big self tapping hooks used for storing bikes (good for 150 lbs) and a couple of quick release nylon straps (the same ones I use to secure the yak to the trailer) and you're done.



Anchor trolley install should be next. I'll put up some pictures of that as well. If anyone knows of any good kayak fishing sites let me know, especially in this area. I've already linked to BCKFC.

Join CCA

Now's the time to join CCA and enter the STAR Tournament if you haven't done so already. Great prizes, boats, trucks, etc. Proceeds will help ensure that future generations have a place to fish.

Hillary Clinton Appears on O'Reilly

I never thought I would see Hillary Clinton interviewed by Bill O'Reilly but there she was last night, pulling out ALL the stops.

In other news, unseasonably cool temperatures were felt in even the warmest of climates yesterday evening...

Man Forges Personal Check for $360,000,000,000.00

This genius tried to forge a check from his girlfriends personal account for $360,000,000,000.00 (that's $360 billion in case you get lost in all the zeros). I would pay money to see the security tape of this attempted transaction.

"Do you want that in $20's or $100's?"

"I'll have to check the balance on this account for sufficient funds. Our overdraft protection policy only covers transactions up to $359 billion."

"If you deposit your $360 billion with us today you get a free toaster!"

Enjoy It While You Still Can

I only read the title of this story and I knew we'd be in there somewhere. We're losing miles of coastal wetlands every year. It's really a shame that so few people know or care.

How Would Jesus Vote

Here's an interesting hypothetical questions for all you devout Catholics and pro-lifers out there. If B. Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton were both pro-life and McCain was pro-choice, how would you vote?

I think I pulled my medulla oblongata trying to bend my mind around this one.

Hillary Vows to "Totally Obliterate" Iran

Sure, her threat was predicated on Iran attacking Israel first but wow! Them's some strong words. Don't take my word for it, see for yourself.



So I guess her plan is to dust off those old ICBM's laying around from the cold war and get some use out of them. Really? No U.N. approval? Seriously? No exhaustion of all other means of peaceable resolution? 'Cause it seems like I heard that somewhere before. No building up of a vast coalition of nations? No? She's just gonna push the button and vaporize an entire nation, eh? You know, this sounds COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from what I expected her to say based on her position on the war we are currently fighting. Well, I guess that's her way of avoiding sending any more American troops overseas. Or maybe she's just after their oil.

While she's at it, she should also promise to rid the world of cancer if she were elected president. Oh yeah! She could just nuke the whole planet killing everything on earth, cancer and all. I mean, that's only if she wanted to keep her campaign promises, which is another issue entirely.

B. Hussein v/s B16

Hat tip to Jeff Miller for finding this parody of the Obama campaign poster. I thought a side by side would be worth 2000 words so here ya go...



I know who I'm supporting.

More Kayak Events

The Backpacker in Lafayette, LA is having a "pool day" to demo their kayaks and canoes this weekend. What is a "pool day" you ask? Basically, they set up a giant above ground pool in the parking lot and let people paddle around in it trying out various boats. They've got a pretty good selection of boats so I think I'll try to be there. They also have a schedule of upcoming events for Lafayette and Baton Rouge on their web site.

Catholic Speaker Tomorrow Night in Lafayette, La.

This Friday, April 18, 2008 at 7 pm at St Pius Auditorium in Lafayette, LA, Clayton Bower will be speaking on the origins of the Bible. Also, this Saturday Morning April 19, 2008 at 9:00 AM, a Breakfast session with Mr Bower will held at Ground Pati (on Kaliste Saloom). A FREE breakfast will be served at 8:30 AM.

A bit of backgound on Mr. Bower: He is a Catholic apologist from San Diego who is in high demand across North America. He is featured on EWTN's affiliate, St Joseph Radio. His multi-media programs typically include a combination of art, music and live lecture. He is a graduate of Boston University, holding a degree in Sociology with a specialization in Demographic History. He has studied Theology, Patristic's, and Scripture at St John's School of Theology in the Archdiocese of Boston.

Betrayal of Religious Leaders by Kisses is Still Fashionable

House speaker Nancy Pelosi kisses the hand of Pope Benedict XVI while at the same time working tirelessly to promote values which are entirely at odds with Catholic teaching. This photo should appear in the dictionary (or at least wikipedia) under "Hypocricy". I don't think I've ever seen a better example. Seriously, look at the definition of the word and tell me this isn't it.

HOLY WAR!

Just when I'm coming around to the Pope's way of thinking regarding the war in Iraq, I've got to go and find this...



Needless to say I am offended, but more importantly I (and all Catholics) are being singled out as targets of an Islamic holy war. This is not the same as terrorists targeting "America". Sure I'm an American and I like to think that I'm patriotic, but there are many differing opinions on every subject in this country. There is no longer any identifiable common philosophy that unites all Americans. So when terrorists target "America", we can each take some degree of false comfort in the fact that the terrorists must be angry with, "those other Americans".

This is simply not so with my religious beliefs. There are no "other Catholics" for the terrorists to target. When Yunis Al-Astal threatens the Catholic Church, he is threatening me personally, along with my family, friends and community. I choose to be Catholic because I believe the Church's teachings to be the truth. I am always open to discussion on matters of theology (although I'm certainly no expert) and I condemn no one for their beliefs in other religions. Likewise, the Catholic church is always open to theological discussions with other religions and engages in such discussions frequently. To the contrary, Islam is saying to Catholics (indeed all "infidels"), "Convert or die!"

Does this ultimatum really leave us any choice? On one hand, I hate the thought of any more of our young soldiers suffering the same fate as Joseph Richard and the thousands who have lost their lives before him. On the other hand, I find it hard to cling to the notion that "engaging in positive dialog about multiculturalism" will keep a growing, borderless nation of Saladin wannabe's from taking this fight to my children's doorstep.

Salt Water Fishing

Headed out to Hog Bayou yesterday. Wind was blasting out of the North and the current was really moving and the water was filthy from Hackberry to Holly Beach. Anyway, those are all of my excuses as to why I caught no fish and I'm sticking to 'em! One day I'll figure out what the guides all seem to know...

Kayak Fishing Seminar

I've been pretty busy this week so blogging's been light (i.e. non existent). I did make time for a kayak fishing seminar on Tuesday though. Pack and Paddle in Lafayette sponsors numerous outdoor seminars, clinics, guided tours, film screenings, etc. The speaker was great and offered a lot of useful information including launch sites from the Sabine to the Pearl.

I've also taken a liking to this particular paddle craft...



Native Watercraft Ultimate 12. Veeeeerryy Niiiiiiiiiiccee!

Hamas Pupet Show

Since my last post was kosher, I thought I would give some blog space to an opposing view point for "balance". I've posted on this topic before. Anyway, I'll let you see for yourself what young radical Muslims are being taught.



Should I love my enemy or defend my family?

Kosher Coke

Hat tip to Alive & Young for finding this one. I am completely addicted to Coca-Cola, so when I saw this I had to post it. As you may or may not know, corn syrup is cheaper than real sugar so folks in the food industry (including Coke) now use it instead of sugar for processed foods. Corn syrup is not kosher, thus the kosher Coke contains real sugar. If I can locate some of this custom blended "passover pop" locally I'll do a taste test and post my results.

Mmmmm. Reeeaal Suuuugaar...aaaahhhh.

BaitNet.com

I just found a handy new link via the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club (see BCKFC in my Outdoor Links). It's BaitNet.com. If you're wondering where to find bait and tackle near a new fishing hole anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, look no further.

Ash Wednesday Watch

Unfortunately I'm a little late with this one but better late than never. I've found the perfect watch for Ash Wednesday (and the rest of Lent actually). Mr. Jones Watches has come up with a novel way of reminding us of our own mortality. They offer several interesting variations on this theme.

P.S. - It would also make a good gift for many Catholic politicians (Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, etc.) if you happen to have one on your Christmas list.

Hillary WAS Under Fire in Bosnia!

This video evidence was discovered in a storage room in the White House between some old Rose Law Firm billing records. and a few old VHS tapes labeled "B.C. 'personal' ".

See for yourself.

Until You've Eaten Dirt You are Not Poor

I've been helping a friend of mine with our local Ultreya meeting on nights when he's out of town for work. Tonight's speaker really made me appreciate the things that we all have in this country. Even things as basic as food. Our speaker this evening spends two weeks a year in Haiti giving aid to the poor. He has been doing this for over 20 years. During this time he has witnessed an incredible amount of human suffering.

The most recent turn of events in Haiti involves the increased cost of food world wide. In a country that has so little to begin with, food is now unaffordable for many Haitian people. As a result, many Haitians have resorted to eating dirt just to try to stay alive.



We should all consider the blessings God has given us and consider making a donation to a charitable organization such as CRS or some other reputable organization that truly promotes life.

Are You a Catholic Democrat?

If you are a Catholic Democrat, you might be interested to know what kind of company you are keeping. I ran across this article by Bill Roth on the Catholic Democrats website. Highlights and my comments:

"The abortion rate is roughly equivalent to what it was in 1973, and many religious people have been duped into thinking that one party is in favor of abortion and the other is opposed to it."

FALSE! According to the Guttmacher Institute (a pro-abortion entity) the abortion rate is NOT roughly equivalent to what it was in 1973. There were 16.3 abortions per 1000 women in the US in 1973. By 1981, that number had skyrocketed to 29.4 per 1000 (almost double). In 2005 the number was down to 19.4 per 1000. 19.4 is not roughly equivalent to 16.3, especially when counting human lives.

With regard to being "duped", one party IS in favor of abortion and the other IS opposed to it (with few individual exceptions).

"Pro-Choice" is not the appropriate term either, because "The Choice" will happen whether or not this "Choice" is legal."

What kind of an argument is that? Are you trying to say that you can't legislate morality? OK. Agreed. Should we now abandon all forms of civil society and embrace anarchy because some people will still "choose" to do the wrong thing? Are laws pointless and futile in this regard? I think not. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important." I'm inclined to believe that if unborn children had a voice in the matter they would feel the same way.

Notwithstanding any statistics or flawed philosophical views, abortion is the murder of an unborn child and that is simply and intolerably wrong! Why any self proclaimed Catholic would go to such great lengths to obfuscate an issue that is so clear and so important is beyond my comprehension. What is going on in that head of your's Mr. Roth?

The Secret to More Blog Traffic...

...post cute pictures of your kids and wait for someone with a much more popular site to post a link! Prior to my last post, a typical day at Unskilled Labor would be less than 100 hits a day from a few friends and bloggers with like interests. The photo post of my youngest daughter is getting almost 3000 hits a day! WOW! I feel like a proud Papa showing his wallet photos to the world. Thanks to the folks over at Spirit Daily for putting up a link to the pics of my little cutie.

My 2 Year Old's Devotion to the Blessed Mother

I took this picture of my 2 year old daughter today while visiting my in-laws. All I could think of was, "Unless you become like little children, you will not see the Kingdom of God."


Cute.

WaPo Pope Watch

The Washington Post has a "Pope Watch" going for B16's visit to the USA. This particular article itself is controversial, but the comments, oh my goodness! You will be fascinated, saddened, offended and encouraged by what people have written in response to the article. I must warn you, there is some anti-Catholic propaganda posted here which is downright fictitious so be careful about what you allow into your brain. Garbage in, garbage out.

Easter Warning: Crucifixion is Bad For You

The Catholic Church does not condone these bizarre acts but that has not stopped 21 men and two women from crucifying themselves during Holy Week in the Philippines. Four of these cats are going to crucify themselves with REAL NAILS! Oh man! I though I was making some kind of great sacrifice by standing in line for an hour tonight waiting for confession! These Filipinos (and Filipinas) are off the chart! I love the reaction from the local health organization,

“The City Health Office (CHO) autoclaved all the nails to be used and will administer anti-tetanus vaccine to all the “Cristos” to ensure their protection from possible infection,”

Yeah, when I am about to be crucified, the first question that always comes to my mind is "have these nails been autoclaved?" and, "when was my last tetanus shot?" How about a morphine shot? Or maybe 12 shots of tequila? What about some "healthy" advice, like, "Hey dude, you might not want to pound those 6 inch framing nails into your feet. It seems unnecessary and I think it will leave a mark."

I'm all for sacrifice and mortification but I think this crosses the line and becomes a spectacle of self mutilation (Mt. 6:16-18).

ROMA VICTOR!

Business Wire Reports,

"...the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Judge Jeffrey S. White ruled in favor of the Alliance of Catholic Health Care and a host of co-defendants and intervenors and rejected a constitutional challenge by the State of California to the Hyde-Weldon Amendment, a federal law which protects hospitals and health care workers from being forced to perform abortions."

Score one for the Alliance of Catholic Health Care et. al. and practicing Catholics in California!

I guess "pro-choice" only applies if you choose to murder babies. If you choose NOT to murder babies, the state of California will try to FORCE you to do so. If you still refuse, they will drag you to U.S. District Court. These "pro-choice" folks REALLY seem to want to limit your choices. Think about this for a minute, actually being FORCED to kill a baby against your will. You can't even find that sort of thing in the worst horror movie you could imagine! Being FORCED to KILL CHILDREN!!!

Is it not ironic that a group of people who claim to be "pro-choice" would fight to the ends of the earth to try to make sure that practicing Catholics are DENIED their ability to CHOOSE not to murder babies! Is this not diametrically opposed to the entire concept of CHOICE! Is there a so-called pro-choice person on the face of the planet who cares to debate this issue with me!?

'Frisco Libs Reject "Sins 2.0"

If you ever wondered what 'frisco libs think about Catholics and the Catholic Church, you can get a good idea here. Kinda scary to know how much you are hated by someone you don't know. I thought liberals were all about peace and love and tolerance.

Grand Isle 2008

No fish on the Grand Isle trip. We went out Saturday morning in our 12 foot kayaks in spite of the small craft advisory and 20 mph winds. Tough conditions to say the least, but not completely unmanageable as I saw it. My buddies begged to differ and I was out voted 2 to 1 in favor of bailing on the fishing and instead, hanging out on the beach and drinking. We fished for a total of about an hour and a half, tops.

It wasn't a wasted trip however. We had a good time and scouted the island for good spots to launch the 'yaks on the next trip. We found about a half dozen such spots for next time. I also got one decent picture.

Sacalait Forecast

Louisiana Game and Fish has the forecast for sacalait (crappie) fishing in the state. They won't give you a cajun sleigh ride like a redfish will, but the ol' papermouths are still fun to catch from a kayak.

Golf Hunting

I'm a little torn on this story. On one hand, no one wants to brag about wanton waste of wild animals. On the other hand, that is one heck of a golf shot! I mean c'mon, hitting and killing a live bird in a tree from 75 yards away with a golf ball! It reminds me of that scene from National Lampoon's Vacation where Clark Griswald jumps a road barricade on the way to the Grand Canyon.

Anyway, I say let the punishment fit the crime. He killed the bird, now he has to eat it!

New Icon for the Blog

Cooler than 4 popped collars!!! I've now joined the ranks of those fancy schmancy bloggers who have their own little icon that pops up next to the URL. The process is about as tedious as I would expect applying for government assistance would be. If you don't see a blue box with a gold "UL" diagonally across it, please let me know. I'm not sure I'm satisfied with this icon but at least I know how to do it now, and I can always change it later.

Pope Skywalker I

Pope Benedict XVI handled this meeting with the Jesuit order MUCH better than I would have...

Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up obedience from wayward religious orders, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the liberal Catholics' hidden fortress...ACK!

I FIND YOUR LACK OF FAITH...DISTURBING!

Oh Yeah. I am 100% certain I should NOT be Pope!

Bugs Bunny says, "Jihad!"

What's the deal with everyone turning Muslim? First B. Hussein Obama, then Hillary Rodham Clinton, now Bugs Bunny? Oh wait, my mistake. It was just the Hamas Bunny, Assud threatening to kill a cartoonist who dared to draw an image of Muhammad. I always wondered what the radical Islamic children watched on Saturday Morning.

Worlds Largest Shotgun

Hat tip to my good friend Joey P. for sending me this via e-mail. There's a good description of this round and the tank that fires it on David E. Petzal's site. In short, "The 50 pound shell contains 1150 .40 caliber tungsten pellets launched at 4500 fps, with an effective range of 500 yards." That's gonna leave a mark!

Redfish are Biting

Now that duck season is well past us, it's time to try to catch a few fish. These folks did well in Big Lake. I'll be heading for Grand Isle next weekend with my kayak to try my luck. Captain Danny Wray (pictured) of Calmwater Charters does well down there. He guides exclusively from kayaks. It should be fun.

Cajun Bible Verses

Ah like dem cajun bible verses me! In case yall aint seen dis, ah put da cajun 10 commandments like dat so yall could see dat too like dat.

1. God is number 1 ...an das' all.
2. Don't pray to nuthin' or nobody...jus' God
3. Don't cuss nobody...'specially da Good Lord.
4. It's Sunday...pass yauself by God's house.
5. Yo folks dun did it all...lissen to dem.
6. Killin dem duck and goose, dat's OK ...people--no!
7. God gave you a wife...sleep wit' jus' her.
8. Don't take nobody's pirogue...or nuthin'.
9. Don't go wantin' somebody's stuff.
10. Stop lyin' - yo tongue gonna' fall out!

Mais bruh, iss like ah say, if you caint laff at youself, don't go laff at nobody else like dat.

The Earth is Flat

You heard me. Not only is the earth flat, but it is also the center of the universe... and it is larger than the sun... which is also flat.

Don't take my word for it. This guy is the expert. It seems Muslims have taken the theory of "sola scriptura" to new levels with the Koran.

I reject your reality and substitute my own! - Adam Savage

Hillary '08

New campaign slogan:

"Vote Clinton: Because a Deaf God Ignores our Pleas"

Shot Pattern

There are no endangered species.

There are only species which we allow to live.

...and by "we", I mean Remington and me.

(Photos by Jeff Coats & hat tip to VanCKirby for the info on the photographer. Click on the pics for a better view of the shot patterns)

Attack on Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor

It's been a while since I've read such nonsensical and inflamatory blather as what I just saw from The Guardian regarding the good Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. The opening salvo...

"Who carries the greatest responsibility for the deaths of unborn children in this country [UK]? I accuse the leader of the Catholic church in England and Wales, His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor."

If you care to read the rest of what passes for jounalism in the UK, you can find the article here. If you just want the Cliffs notes, George Monbiot (author) claims that the Catholic church actually causes more abortions because we don't approve of contraception, ergo more unborn children obviously MUST DIE. Apparently, the thought of women actually giving birth never occured to him as a viable option. His conclusion is just as stupid and blatantly anti-Catholic...

"When the Pope tells bishops in Kenya - the global centre of this crisis - that they should defend traditional family values "at all costs" against agencies offering safe abortions, or when he travels to Brazil to denounce its contraceptive programme, he condemns women to death. When George Bush blocks aid for family planning charities that promote safe abortions, he ensures, paradoxically, that contraceptives are replaced with backstreet foeticide. These people spread misery, disease and death. And they call themselves pro-life."

I don't think I've heard a more vicious pile of sactimonious B.S. in quite some time. Catholic aid workers are at this very moment refusing to leave Kenya, in spite of increasing threats to their safety. What are YOU doing to help these people George Monbiot? The United States of America (i.e. George Bush) committed an additional $2.8 million in aid just last month in response to increasing insecurities within the country. How much money are YOU donating to help the people of Kenya George Monbiot? You're idea of help is to have them contracept and abort themselves right off the face of the earth. You are truly a saint of the modern liberal church. Saint Monbiot, patron Saint of Kenyan genocide.

Guess My Crime

Can you judge a book by it's cover? Maybe. I guessed 11 out of 20. Better than the statistical average considering there are three choices for each mug shot. Check out the "Guess My Crime" blog and see how many you get right.

Hillary Clinton is a Duck Hunter?

It seems Hillary Clinton has shot as many banded ducks as I have! I have mixed feelings about this new discovery. On the one hand I'm glad that I've found at least one good thing to say about Hillary. On the other hand, I'd like to think I'm a better duck hunter than she is. Since the story was printed by the New York Times, I'm going to assume that the whole thing was made up.

The writer of the this article is politically to the left of Clinton and Obama and criticizes them both for not doing more to infringe the right of the people to bear arms (trivial details like the 2nd amendment notwithstanding). I did like her zinger for Obama though:

[Tim] Russert pointed out that as a state senator, Obama had talked a lot about licensing and registering gun owners, and he asked Obama if he would pursue that goal as president.

“I don’t think that we can get that done,” Obama responded.

Yes We Can't.

Clever.

COOLNESS

I found this and HAD to post it! Sombody slap me if I'm ever this cool.

Air Car

That's right. The air car will be here as soon as next year. Boasting 1000 miles between "fill ups" at up to 96 miles per hour, the air car runs on simple compressed air.


In other news, the price of air skyrocketed to $7.24 per cu. ft. today on the open market...

You're Fired!

I can just see Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor with a Donald Trump hair-do, wagging his finger at the hospital board and proclaiming, "YOU'RE FIRED!"

I'm sure that's not how it happened, but regardless of any courteseys that may have been extended by the good Cardinal, he showed 'em how the cow eats the cabbage. An' bein' a good cajun, ah like dat me!

New Fantabulous Blog!

My wife has decided to create her own blog. She is much nicer and a much better "evangelizationizer" than I am. I tend to be a little more, shall we say, confrontational. I also like to make up words a lot.

Good luck Hon!

Science Fair

Ran across these truly funny Science Fair Pictures today.

My Grand Prize Winner: Crystal Meth: Friend or Foe
My Runner Up: Plants and Pop

I'd love to know who gets your vote.

Barack Obama Spend-o-Meter

Ever wonder what all of Barack Obama's social programs will cost you? Wonder no more! The answer is here!

Ultimate Camo

I am officially placing an advanced order for a new hunting jacket made from this stuff. What kind of name do you think the camo companies will come up with? Mossy Oak "Dissapearance"? Advantage "Harry Potter"? Or maybe my personal favorite, "Klingon Warship"!

False Advertising

Lest you be fooled, not all "Catholic Universities" are created equal. Some are institutions of higher learning which actually promote Catholic values. Others have forfeited the privilege of being called either Catholic or a University by any traditional measure of either term.

Catholic universities should strive to be shining examples of Christian community and fellowship. By inviting (meaning paying) rap star, Ludacris, to perform a concert on their campus, Fairfield University has officially degenerated into a ridiculous caricature of present day pop culture, spending more than they can afford on things that they don't need (and in fact should avoid).

Beretta Xtrema2

Just in case there is someone out there who hasn't seen my personal favorite shotgun video...

Perrilloux Suspended Again

It never ceases to amaze me the way some people choose to be losers when they have so much talent.

Duck Video

I found another duck video we took this season. Unfortunately it doesn't capture any calling or ducks working over the decoys. The end result is fairly well documented though. Enjoy.

Spoon-a-palooza

Another hunting pic from an outing we dubbed, "Spoon-a-palooza". Can you guess why?

Mardi Gras

I love the irony of Mardi Gras. The only reason Mardi Gras exists is because it's the day before Lent, which is a time of prayer, penance and fasting. So what do most people do to prepare themselves for this extended time of solemnity and sacrifice? PARTY LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW BABY!

Gotta love those unintended consequences.

Check out the parade cam if you feel left out. Look here for answers to those important and frequently asked questions like, "Do I have to flash to get beads?" or "Can I bring my kids to Mardi Gras?" My favorite answer?

"Unless you want to answer uncomfortable questions, you should never take a child down Bourbon Street."

Good advice at any time of year.

Pic from the Last Hunt of the Season

In terms of sheer numbers, it was a mediocre season at best, but every day hunting is a good day. We never scratched, but we never limited out either. We ended the season on a high note though. A friend of mine shot a banded speckled belly goose from my blind on the closing day. This was about a week after I shot the banded mottled duck shown in a previous post.




















A few more pics to come...

Classic Single Spec Decoy

We called in this single speckled belly goose from a looooong way off. A friend of mine made the shot.

Hindsight

Hindsight is an interesting thing. As I look through some of my posts from years past, I'm noticing a trend. Lots of rants about social, political and religious issues. Like most of the other gazillion bloggers on the net, I felt strongly about a few things (still do) and I wanted to express my views. I still have strong opinions that I'm sure I'll post from time to time, but I think I'd like to be a little more positive and a little less serious. I'd like to include a few more neutral posts and a little less antagonism.

...but it is an election year so we'll see what happens.

Back in Camo

It's been a while but I've pulled my blog from the mothballs. Most of my almost 3 year hiatus from the blogosphere was occupied by a massive offshore project. In layman's terms, I was in charge of welding long length sections of pipe which now carry natural gas from the sea floor up to the world's largest and deepest gas platform. This was a record setting endeavor and I am proud to have been a part of this project.

I'm also glad I'm done!

I now have a little more time for other things...

Darth Abdullah

I can't say this wasn't funny.

Let the Lamentation of the Liberals Begin

I love this one from Andrew Sullivan.

"I was trying to explain last night to a non-Catholic just how dumb-struck many reformist Catholics are by the elevation of Ratzinger. And then I found a way to explain. This is the religious equivalent of having had four terms of George W. Bush only to find that his successor as president is Karl Rove. Get it now?"

I think the only thing that would have satisfied some of these liberals would have been a Pope who stepped out onto the balcony, announced he's gay and changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol.