'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.

Happy Easter

Well I'm back (sort of). I've got some kind of respiratory ailment which, by my estimation, is somewhere between black lung and tuberculosis. Bear in mind I'm not a doctor, nor do I even play one on TV. My diagnosis is entirely based on my own miserably low pain threshold.

I've also been super busy at work. I'm working on a construction/fabrication bid proposal that may mean a trip to the Netherlands next month for negotiation (that'll help my cough).

I think I've just been to busy/sick to get worked up over anything enough to write about it. The Terri Shiavo murder has been on my mind but I think all of the facts are out on that one and people have made up their minds whether they want to save Terri or kill her. Too bad all the key people want her dead. I know judges must dispassionately interpret the law as it is written, but I think there is either too much or too little judicial activism at work here. I haven't yet decided which. I am also not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV.

I managed to watch "Voices of Iraq" while I was sick. Excellent documentary. I highly recommend it. I took a break from "Celsius 41.11" to pay some bills and clean the cobwebs off my blog. 41.11C looks pretty good too. Particularly illustrative of the left's ignorance was the scene where they show the crazy woman from 911F saying she likes a dictator that provides free health care and education and then cut to scenes of hands and heads being chopped off, people being beaten and kicked, and children dead in the streets from chemical weapons attacks. Yeah, saint Saddam.

Happy Easter.

Pray for the Pope.

Pray for Terri.

Michael Schiavo = Dirtbag x 12^23

Check out this quote from his Nightline interview.

BURY: "Your wife's family and their supporters have been arguing in the most graphic terms that what you are going to allow happen on Friday, in their words, is in effect condemning your wife to a cruel death by starvation. I'd like you to address that charge from them."

SCHIAVO: "That's one of their soapboxes they've been on for a long time. Terry will not be starved to death. Her nutrition and hydration will be taken away."

I double checked the definition of starvation just to make sure it hadn't changed in the last couple of years and somehow I didn't get the memo.

starvation - n 1: a state of extreme hunger resulting from lack of essential nutrients over a prolonged period.

That's what I thought it meant. Michael did go on to explain his understanding of the word, "Starvation".

SCHIAVO: "...slowly - her potassium and her electrolytes will slowly diminish and she will drift off to a nice little sleep and eventually pass on to be with God."

That sounds more like yoga. Maybe this is all a big misunderstanding and someone should explain the meaning of starvation to him before he kills his wife.

If that's the logic you're going to use then why bother with all of the legal red tape. Just march into Terri's room and lop her head off with a samurai sword a la O.J. Simpson. When someone asks why you killed your wife, your response should be, "I did not kill my wife. I merely removed her head from her body. She then drifted off to a nice little sleep and eventually passed on to be with God." What a thoughtful husband you are.

Killing Terri

Euthanasia fans, gather round. I thought you might like to see the person you are all so enthusiastic about killing. Her name is Terri Schiavo (link is Real Player video). As you can see, she is not in some sort of permanent, non-responsive coma. She is not battling some rare form of cancer that leaves her in a constant state of intense pain. She is wide awake and seems to recognize her mother. There are other video clips at terrisfight.org if you care to take a look.

Oh, and before you get all sympathetic for her loving husband who has to care for her (you know, the one that wants her to die of starvation), you might want to take a look at his background. You might also want to ask him a few questions. I'd like to know why he would turn down $1mil to simply walk away and let Terri live. Has this turned into a hostage negotiation?

The MSM won't talk about Michael Schiavo's vested interest in his wife's death. It's all about the right to die. The reality is that this is a decade long murder plot.

I can only imagine how difficult it is for Terri and her family, but there is no denying the fact that she is a living breathing human being. People are not utilitarian objects to be destroyed once they have outlived their usefulness. If we take that view then there is nothing stopping mothers from killing their own childre...

Oh, I guess we are there already. But at least it's only the unborn ones that are being kille...

Oh. Born ones too?

In that case, welcome to Utilitopia. Pray you don't get sick.

Free Haircut

Great joke shamelessly stolen from conservative thoughts.

One day a florist goes to a barber for a haircut. After the cut he asked about his bill and the barber replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week” The florist is pleased and leaves the shop. Next morning when the barber goes to open up, there is a thank you card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The cop is happy and leaves the shop. Next morning when the barber goes to open up, there is a thank you card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Later a Republican comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The Republican is very happy and leaves the shop! Next morning when the barber goes to open up, there is a thank you card and a dozen different books such as “How to Improve your Business” and “Becoming More Successful".

Then a Democrat comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I’m sorry, I cannot accept money from you; “I'm doing community service this week." The Democrat is very happy and leaves the shop. Next morning when the barber goes to open up, there are a dozen Democrats lined up waiting for a free haircut.

A Dose of the Ghost

Anyone out there want a Holy Ghost Enema? I didn't think so. Kudos to Fr. Sibley for finding this video gem. I call it, "Faith Without Reason," or, "Diarrhea of the Mouth." Feel free to add your own title. Too funny.

Martha Stewart Freed from Prison

I thought it noteworthy that the modern day icon of homemaking was freed from prison today. With criminals and terrorists lurking about, we managed to imprison the last woman on earth famous for cooking, cleaning and crafts. Surely this was some kind of liberal plot. Martha had this to say.

Is Cardinal McCarrick Even Pro-Life?

Cardinal McCarrick is at it again. First there was the issue with politicians receiving communion, now he's off the reservation on pro-abortion politicians speaking at Catholic colleges. Where on earth does the Cardinal get the idea that pro-abortion speakers are good for Catholic education?

Let me summarize. Cardinal McCarrick thinks that pro-abortion politicians should receive the body of Christ with the same mouth that proclaims, "Death to the Unborn!" at every opportunity. Cardinal McCarrick also seems to believe that instead of sending a clear, unified, pro-life message by forbidding pro-abortion activities to speak at Catholic colleges, pro-abortion activists should be able to spread their message of death unhindered by any form of restriction that might remotely be construed as admonishment.

In what bizzaro world does any of this glorify God or help to shepherd his people?

If the name, Theodore E. McCarrick was not preceded by the title of Cardinal, one would think he was a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood.

G. K. Chesterton

"Tolerance is the virtue of a man without convictions."

I liked that one so much, I changed my tagline again.

Color Photos of WWI

It's amazing how color can change the whole communicative effect of a photo. If these had been in black and white, I don't think it would have the same impact. Viewing these images in color really puts you at the scene. It also reminds me that WWI wasn't that long ago.

I Hope This is Settled...

...but I'm sure it's not.

In a recent interview with Raymond Arroyo, Cardinal Arinze stated in no uncertain terms that the Rainbow Sash protesters should not be given communion. Furthermore, the Cardinal pointed out that it is ridiculous to expect that politicians should be allowed to promote the murder of unborn children and then turn around on Sunday and say to the Priest, "I want to receive Jesus."

Cardinal Ratzinger said as much in June of 2004. I fail to see how so many members of the clergy can ignore clear interpretations of Catholic doctrine from such high authorities.

The answer is no. No communion for any of you. And in case some of you Senators and Congressmen forgot who you are, here's a list with your picture on it. If you see yourself on the list, do not go to communion. If you're not sure why you're on the list, you can find the reasons here.

Priests, Bishops and Arch Bishops, keep this list handy. Review the list prior to Mass. Post this list in the reception area of your office (similar to the FBI's most wanted list in the post office). Most importantly, if you see any of these Catholic impersonators (either politician or Rainbow Sash variety) approaching you in Church as if they wish to receive the Eucharist, please do not encourage their delusions by giving them holy communion.

I don't know what more Vatican officials can do to get their point across other than the threat of excommunication. I don't think that will happen but it's not like it hasn't happened before.

Iraqis Turn the Tables on the Insurgents

AM - Iraqi insurgents resume deadly attacks: "We understand that last night the insurgents came back to punish the people of al-Mudhariya, but instead of metering out that punishment the villagers fought back and they killed five of the insurgents and wounded eight. They then burnt the insurgents' car. So the people of that village have certainly had enough of the insurgents."

I'm sure the Iraqis want the American troops to go home (we all want the troops to go home) but not before the insurgents are driven out of the country and Iraq can govern itself.

Gov. Moonbeam

People of Earth take note! Governor Moonbeam has entered the blogosphere!

Although I don't wish to discount the value of voluntary simplicity or ecological living, I do think Mr. Brown is, for the most part, out of his gourd.

You can check out his "We The People" organization here if you like.

MEMRI: Latest News

As promised (before I was rudely interrupted by the "blue screen of death"), I have linked to Zarqawi's comments on America and democracy here. Whether you are liberal or conservative I strongly suggest reading them. It provides a great insight into his perception of democracy and why he and his followers hate it and America.

My impression of his statements is that his hatred of democracy stems from the religious and social freedoms that it provides to each individual citizen. However, his hatred is amplified by an outright loathing of the liberal ideal of society and democracy in America.

I also got the impression that he was a crazed fundamentalist zealot but I think that was obvious before reading his comments.

Success*

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, my computer lives! I think I've got the video issues sorted out, I've installed Mozilla Firefox, e-mail is working. So far so good.

(*Due to my considerable ignorance regarding linux, all of this could go terribly wrong at any moment.)

Meltdown

Blogging will be light since yesterday evening went something like this.

UPDATE: I decided to try Linux because I'm cheap and I'm tired of problems with Windows. I guess I also got a little cocky about firing Bill Gates!. So far it's not working. There's a problem between the video card and the monitor. Hopefully I'll have it sorted out over the weekend (fingers crossed).

Pray...

...for the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II.

Iraq Votes

According to early estimates, about 8 million Iraqis cast votes in the first free election in that country in 50 years. That is about a 60% turnout. To put that into perspective, voter turnout for our own presidential election held in November of last year was also about 60%. To be fair, one must also consider the fact that no one was threatening to kill American voters if they went to the polls. No matter what happens in Iraq after today, no one can honestly say that Iraq does not believe in democracy.

An Iraqi Patriot

Ali is going to vote for the first time in his life tomorrow. In doing so, he will risk that same life. How much we take for granted in this country. Ask yourself if you are willing to risk your life for freedom. Are you willing to die so that others may be free? I was moved by his courage and left the following comment.

"The ballot is stronger than the bullet" -Abraham Lincoln
As true today as it was back then. Know that millions of Americans will be praying for you, your family and your country tomorrow, and for years to come.

A’'ash Al Iraq.

It is so encouraging to hear the enthusiasm and hope of the Iraqi people towards their budding government. It certainly is better than the drone of, "No WMD's" and "No War for Oil" that is the mind numbing chant of the left and the MSM in this country. Someone tell me how Saddam remaining in power is better than Ali and his countrymen getting to vote.

March for Life

I thought this article written by Ronald Reagan would be an appropriate reflection following the March for Life this weekend in D.C. Bear in mind, this was written in 1983 and some of the statistics are dated. The sentence that reads:

"...since 1973, more than 15 million unborn children have had their lives snuffed out by legalized abortions. That is over ten times the number of Americans lost in all our nation's wars."

should now read as follows:

"...since 1973, more than 46 MILLION unborn children have had their lives snuffed out by legalized abortions. That is over THIRTY times the number of Americans lost in all our nation's wars."

I pray that the legalized torture and murder of unborn children will end soon.

Johnny Carson, 1925 - 2005

If you aren't old enough to have seen and appreciated the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, you are probably better off. This way, you won't know what you missed. Kind of like if you had never eaten ice cream, you wouldn't really miss it if it was gone forever, but if you had eaten ice cream...

Rest in peace, Johnny.

A Fresh Quote from Antonin Scalia

"Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world."

-Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia addressing the Knights of Columbus in Baton Rouge, LA, 1/22/05.

Before some ignorant liberal latches on to the word "fools" let me point out that Justice Scalia is making a biblical reference (I Cor. 4:10). He is in no way suggesting that we blindly follow anything.

How Nerdy are You

I think using Mozilla Firefox put me over the 50% mark. How nerdy are you?

Baptism Day

I was baptized on this day in 1971. I'm glad my wife remembered and bought me a cookie cake to celebrate, otherwise I might have forgotten again. I've been meaning to take note of the day for a couple of years now but somehow the day went by without notice. I guess old habits die hard. For any Christian, the day you are baptized is the day you recieve true life, and thus worth celebrating. I'm going to mark the occasion by renewing my baptismal vows in front of the blessed sacrament tonight.

More Links

Updated links in the side bar. Any suggestions for others?

Conservative Thoughts

I ran across a pretty funny post at "Conservative Thoughts." So funny, I had to post a link.

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' And Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because it is right." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I thought this quote was very appropriate considering my previous post and the fact that today is Martin Luther King day.

Why is Abortion My #1 Issue?

For some reason, I've been wandering into posts on abortion on several liberal blogs that I check from time to time. I've left some comments, but I felt I should write something explaining my own pro-life position on my own blog. I can't think of anything that explains my outright hatred of abortion more than an article I just found through a friends blog. I had to fight back tears as I read this and thought of my innocent little 7 month old daughter. If you are pro-life and you feel uneasy reading about what goes on in an abortion clinic, please do not read this article or any of the links on this post. If you are pro-abortion or pro-choice or whatever you choose to call yourself, you owe it to yourself to read about what you are supporting.

Liberals, it doesn't matter how much you support world peace, famine relief, multiculturalism, the environment, the poor, the sick, the whales or the trees. If you just finished reading what happens in an abortion clinic and you still support abortion, there is something seriously wrong with you. How can you possibly condone this in good conscience? Seek help because you are truly a psychopath.

I am absolutely certain that years from now, history will show that abortion was the greatest atrocity mankind has ever perpetrated upon itself. No war, no ten wars could ever be as horrible as a mother killing her own child.

A 5-2 Basketball game?

This is an interesting story even if you have little or no interest in basketball. It seems that the lack of a shot clock in boys high school basketball can make for some interesting strategy. It also makes a pretty dull game.

Reminder: George Weigel @ St. Pius X on Friday

St. Pius X Parish Is Proud to Welcome
Renowned Author and ScholarGeorge Weigel
Who Will be Speaking on: "The Achievement of John Paul II"

George Weigel is a Roman Catholic theologian and one of America's leading commentators on issues of religion and public life. He is most known for being the author of Witness to Hope, the definitive biography of Pope John Paul II. Some of his other books include The Truth of Catholicism, The Courage to Be Catholic and Letters to a Young Catholic. In addition to his books, Weigel has contributed essays, op-ed columns, and reviews to the major opinion journals and newspapers in the United States. He has appeared on numerous network television, cable television, and radio discussion programs, and is a consultant on Vatican affairs for NBC News. His weekly column, "The Catholic Difference," is syndicated to sixty newspapers around the United States. Both his scholarly work and his journalism have been translated into a variety of western languages.

Date and Time: Friday, January 14, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.
Place: St. Pius Elementary School Auditorium
205 East Bayou ParkwayLafayette, LA 70508

congrats usc...

Now that I have absolutely no case to deny USC the respect they deserve, I must grudgingly admit that the Trojans have actually earned the national championship this year (although they are not defending champions any more than Al Gore was the incumbent in the 2004 election). Their defense was great, their offense was outstanding and they had the Orange Bowl won in the first half. What a colossal a** kicking.

I think the thing that makes USC so dangerous is that passing plays for 30, 40, 50 yards or more are not reserved for desperate situations in the second half of the game. They are the as common as handing the ball to a running back. It's also a high percentage play for this team. This forces the defense to cover every inch of the field on every down. With a quarterback and receivers of this caliber, the Trojans are in the red zone as soon as the offense takes the field.

And Matt Leinart looked like more like he was playing catch in the park than playing in a championship game. He almost looked bored, or stoned, or something. Of course it's easy to be relaxed when you're up 38-10 at half time.

There are only a couple of rocks I can throw at USC's performance. The first is that a good chunk of their points came from ridiculous OU turnovers. Not that it matters much. The way USC plays, moving the ball another 50 yards down the field would only mean 3 or 4 more plays and a minute or so off the clock. The second is that the Trojans have a serious lack of class on the field. When you've got the game in the bag, you don't rub it in by racking up two excessive celebration penalties in the end zone, even if you can afford it. You also don't get all pissy and spike the ball in the end zone after you're dropped for a safety. Other than that, a pretty flawless game by USC.

My biggest complaint about this game is that Auburn was not in it. I feel a playoff rant coming on but it's late and I'm tired so it will have to wait.

Congratulations USC.

WAR EAGLE!

Auburn defeats Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl and goes 13-0 for the first time in the school's history. Congratulations to the Tigers.

Auburn left the Hokies more oportunities than they should have and they didn't capitalize on the numerous trips they made inside the Hokies 10 yard line. It wasn't the 28-0 (or better) blowout I was hoping for but it was a victory none the less.

One game left. The future seems so dull without college football.

Last Second Bowl Victories

There is nothing like winning a nail biter in the last seconds of the game. Yesterday, it was the Liberty Bowl. Today, the Rose Bowl. Michigan was on fire in this game but Texas came from behind to pull off the win with a field goal in the last 2 seconds of the game. The Longhorns went nuts.

I know that feeling because I went nuts myself when my LSU Tigers scored a touchdown with less than 1 minute to go to take the lead in the Capitol One Bowl against Iowa. But as Lee Corso would say, "not so fast my friend!" With 14 seconds left, Iowa quarterback Drew Tate connects with Warren Holloway on a sick 56 yard bomb for the game winning TD. Un-freakin'-believable. The sweeter the last second victory, the more bitter the last second loss. I could not believe it.

Hours later, I've managed to scrape together a little objectivity and the loss is actually quite believable. LSU looked lost for the first 3 quarters of the game. They went through 3 quarterbacks before settling on JaMarcus Russell. One also has to wonder whether Nick Saban's mind has been focused on Orlando or Miami for the past couple of weeks. The Tigers have been hit and miss all year and even if they had won tonight it would have been one of those ugly wins where you just feel lucky you didn't lose. It reminded me of their season opener against Oregon State where they just couldn't get going in the first half. They ended up winning in overtime because Alexis Serna choked so badly on so many PAT's they had to give him a tracheotomy after the game.

But the let downs don't end with LSU. The SEC isn't living up to my expectations (or my trash talk, a little help guys). I can understand Florida's loss to Miami, but Alabama loosing to Minnesota? How humiliating. I mean, their mascot is a gopher. A GOPHER! Are there no more ferocious animals in the state of Minnesota, or Oregon (Beavers and Ducks) for that matter? The only thing more strange than how a college can have a rodent for a mascot is how Alabama managed to score 16 points in this game while going 0-13 on 3rd and 4th down conversions. At least Tennessee and Georgia managed to take care of business. Let's hope Auburn can do the same, otherwise I'll be eating crow.

Of course, being Cajun, I happen to have a good recipe for crow which renders that whole metaphor somewhat meaningless down here.

Liberty Bowl

I didn't have a horse in this race but this was a great game. If you missed it, you missed one of the most exciting bowls this season. Louisville won but Boise State certainly proved that they are legitimate. Hat's off to both teams in this one.

So far, My Football Instincts are Right

The PAC-10 is beginning to look like the over rated conference I've been suspecting they are. UCLA lost to Wyoming in the Las Vegas Bowl last week. I won't say that this game alone says much about either conference on whole, but it's worth mentioning.

It gets interesting after seeing California getting spanked by Texas Tech 45-31 in the Holiday Bowl tonight. Texas Tech was ranked 21st going into this game. Cal was ranked 4th and they were whining about how they didn't get into the Rose Bowl (Texas is in the Rose Bowl, they beat Texas Tech 51-21 in the regular season). After their performance in this game, I'd say they're lucky they made the Holiday Bowl. Going into this game, Cal's defense was giving up an average of 292 yards per game. Texas Tech put up over 300 passing yards in the first half. By the end of the game, Tech had laid the wood to Cal with 594 yards of total offense.

Compare the Holiday Bowl stats to the stats from the only other game Cal lost this year (at USC). Cal statistically dominated every measurable aspect of the USC game except the one that counted (the scoreboard, my favorite). Now, consider for a moment, the fact that Texas Tech is in the same conference as Oklahoma (Big 12) and Cal is in the same conference as USC (PAC-10).

Memo to USC: be afraid, be very afraid.

Personally, I think Auburn could beat USC and Oklahoma.

Nick Saban to Coach the Fish

I found this article which echoes some of my thoughts on Nick Saban's decision to leave LSU. It also touches on some of the reasons why college football is superior to the NFL. I'd write my own little diatribe but I stayed up until 1:30 AM last night working on a proposal for work. I am thus too tired and lazy to do my own writing tonight.

James Wolcott: Christmas Kvetchers

I was gonna blast James Wolcott for this Christmas post but Lileks beat me to it (and did a much better job). Never mind.

Santa Not Welcome at Junior High Dance

I can't believe this actually happened.

"'It was a holiday party,' said Muscara. 'It was not a Christmas party. There is a separation of church and state. We have a lot of students that go to Hampton Academy Junior High that have different religions. We have to be sensitive to that.'"

So you are sensitive to all religions by crucifying the kid who came dressed as Santa? Memo to Santa: Don't even leave this guy a lump of coal.

I feel so much better about our educational system after reading this. Condoms may be handed out upon request, abortions may be performed without parental consent, our kids may be exposed to violence and drugs, but they sure as hell shouldn't be exposed to Santa Claus! No sir! You let one Santa in and the next thing you know the whole school is praying in tongues and handling snakes! We don't need those closed minded Christian bigots in our schools now do we?

A Belated Merry Christmas to You...

...or Happy Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or Festivus. I hope you all had a nice time with family and friends.

Subjective AP Wants Out of BCS Formula, Good Riddance

How do you like this? Last year, the AP whined like little girl with sand in her panties about USC being "their" champion, thus fanning the flames of BCS hatred. The BCS responds by giving the polls more influence than ever before over the team rankings. Now that their increased influence has all but destroyed the credibility of the BCS, they want to pull out. They are worried that the bad press the BCS is getting will spill over onto them. It's YOUR FAULT the BCS sucks worse than ever! Along with all the other polls! I hope all the polls pull out! Then we'd be left with the one true measure of performance. The SCOREBOARD!

Is Santa a Republican?

Looks like a toss up to me. Read this and tell me what you think. Either way it's funny stuff.

Catholics for a Free Choice

I just visited the web site of what may be the most dangerous group of self proclaimed Catholics I've ever seen. I say that not because their ideas are so completely off the wall that only a handful of people would take them seriously. In fact, it's just the opposite. It is a group of religious radicals that seeks to replace the authority of the Church with their own liberal doctrine. I am talking about the CFFC.

What makes this group so dangerous is that they are passing themselves off as real Catholics. To be a Catholic, one must recognize the authority of the Church. These folks do no such thing. These people are wolves in sheep's clothing luring many uninformed Catholics into a false sense of security by preaching the gospel of the culture of death (contraception is OK, abortion is OK, etc.) as if it were part of the catechism. This false doctrine is all too readily accepted by our liberal brothers and sisters who see themselves as "forward thinking progressives." I fear for the future of the Catholic church if people like this are not dealt with publicly and decisively (i.e. censure and/or excommunication).

Nuke the Moon

I saw this and had to post a link. Too funny.

Saban Looking to Leave LSU?

Nick Saban always seems to be on everyone's short list for filling coaching vacancies. Thus far, he's remained at LSU. However, I hear that there is more to this story than rumors. Saban recently met with the Miami Dolphins (upon their invitation) to discuss their coaching vacancy. When you consider the fact that Saban is the highest paid coach in college football (as the result of last year's BCS Championship and certain stipulations in his contract), you can logically conclude that this is not an attempt to hype himself and boost his salary. If he's meeting with Miami, he's genuinely interested.

The unofficial rumors I'm hearing are that Miami has offered $4 mil per year (I think he's making $2.5 mil per year now, not sure) and virtually complete control of the team. I've also heard that Nick is asking for $6 mil per year, but that figure is negotiable. Control of the team is the clincher.

Unofficial rumor # 2 is that Butch Davis (Cleveland Browns) may replace Saban if all of this conjecture comes to pass.

I guess Nick has to ask himself, "Do I want to continue to be the head coach of one of the best college football teams in the nation, or do I want to take my chances in Miami?"

Personally, I think pro football is crap, but I'll save that rant for another post.

"Don't Listen to Your Conscience," Says Pope

The Pope has declared that the Catholic laity must follow authoritative church teachings. Translation: All that crap about one's own conscience being the measure of morality flies right out the window when one considers the fact that the vast majority of Catholics in the US have consciences that are formed in front of the secular monstrance (television). As a Catholic, your conscience is only useful if it has been properly formed by the study of solid Catholic teachings. The Pope is in essence saying, "America, your conscience no longer functions properly. Here, use mine." 90% of Catholics are lost like geese in a fog. If the US bishops don't present a unified message to American Catholics, most of the laity will continue to seek the path of least resistance by adopting the most liberal (and heretical) interpretations they can find.

Iran's Space Program - Nothing to See Here, Move Along

Lets take a look at this. They are developing nuclear technology as a source of energy. I find this odd since they have more oil than they could ever use. Now they are launching missiles into space under the guise of developing communications satellites or some such nonsense. Gimme a break! You want a communications satellite? Buy one from France! They'll launch it for you and everything! There is no R&D required here, just hand over some oil money and you're done. But they're not doing that. Hmmm. Nuclear power... Missiles in space... What could they be up to?

More Election Results

Looks like LA will be sending one Republican and one Democrat to the US House of Representatives. I think Tauzin could have beaten Melancon if he hadn't run such a vicious campaign. I like to hear all the dirt on all the candidates before the election so mudslinging doesn't really bother me. I actually like it. In Tauzin's case however, it was done in such a tactless and condescending manner that I think it may have backfired on him. I personally didn't care for him blasting fellow Republican, Craig Romero, in the general election.

The BCS is Waaaaaaaay Off This Year

After a quick review of the NCAA strength of schedule stats, there is no way anyone can tell me that USC and Oklahoma should be ranked ahead of Auburn. Oklahoma's strength of schedule is ranked 22nd for division IA teams. USC is a pitiful 31st. AUBURN HAS THE 9TH TOUGHEST SCHEDULE OF ANY DIVISION IA TEAM AND THEY ARE UNDEFEATED!!!

All of this subjectivity with the polls has got to go. Everyone is crying for a playoff system in the interest of fairness but I think the BCS could handle the process fairly. The thing that makes the playoff system (NCAA basketball or baseball for example) fair is that the subjectivity of these stupid polls is almost entirely removed. Sure, you have to have some at large bids since no system is perfect, but for the most part you earn your way into the playoffs and you earn the championship. Why is college football the only sport where the polls decide who the champions are? Are the World Series teams decided by a poll? How about the Super Bowl teams?

Auburn getting shut out of the Orange bowl will be nothing short of a travesty. These guys busted their a**es to remain undefeated against the toughest teams in the nation and they're going to get passed over by a couple of teams with the same record but weaker schedules. That being the case, where is the incentive to perform if your performance won't get you into the championship? I've never had a very strong opinion either way about the BCS until now. With the introduction of even more subjectivity this year, the BCS has gone downhill.

Save the subjectivity for finger painting and figure skating. This is football. Wins & losses, margin of victory, and strength of schedule are what counts. Championships should be determined by the scoreboard, not the polls.

UPDATE: The travesty is official and Auburn will be playing Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. Auburn has everything to loose in this game and almost nothing to gain. They got shafted.

Cultural Diversity Often Means Anti-Christian

Read this and tell me there isn't an anti-Christian bias developing in this country.

Kojo Annan Disgraces Father

Fox News is reporting that Kofi Annan is very disappointed in his son, regarding the recent oil for food scandal. I'm guessing his disappointment stems from the fact that his son only managed to make $30k a year off of a deal that made Saddam Hussein over $21 billion.

The Atheist Holy Land

Since freedom OF religion forms the basis of our nation, I think atheists should colonize their own land if they want freedom FROM religion. I've got just the spot. A God forsaken land if I ever saw one. They should love it.

UPDATE: Hurry! Get your land here!

Hunting Report

In my lifetime, the rice fields of Southwest Louisiana have never been so devoid of waterfowl. I saw only a handful of ducks yesterday. We shot a couple of geese but that was it. Even in the eighties when we could only shoot 4 ducks we at least had ducks to shoot. This is the worst I've seen it. I keep wating for the opening days of the 90's when the question wasn't whether we would have ducks, but how many minutes it would take to limit out. I can remember several trips in 2000 when we would pass up easy shots on teal and grey ducks because we knew we would limit out on mallards and pintail. Those days have been gone for a while now. I am confident they will return. But not this year. At any rate, I still enjoy it, and I'm going back tomorrow. After all, the surest way to kill no ducks is to not go hunting at all.

If there are any duck/goose hunters reading this, let me know how you're doing, what kind of shotgun you shoot (this is mine), where you hunt, etc.

UPDATE: Finally saw a few ducks this morning (11/27/04). Got a greenhead and a wood duck. Should have had a couple of teal. Oh well, doin' it all again tomorrow.

Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology

This looks like a fascinating book. I've often wondered about the pro's and con's of technology and it's influence on society (an ironic statement to be posting on a blog, to be sure). I have also been curious for some time about daily life in America before the "modern" era. I'll try to tear myself away from the computer and the "secular monstrance" to make time to read this.

Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted take some time to thank God for my family (population: 3 this year) and the many blessings He has bestowed upon us all. If anyone would like to give thanks for anything, please feel free to leave a comment. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving!

Terrorism Signpost

Humorous interpretations of some generic illustrations.

Dan Rather Leaving CBS News

I guess Dan found out just how far you can push the envelope of yellow journalism. Maybe Dan's picture will appear here.

Lead Story Before 9/11/04

Does anyone remember? Take a guess. I remember exactly what the lead story was on every network leading up to 9/11. Just for kicks, I looked to see how many stories CNN had published on this topic from 9/1/01 to 9/10/01. In those 10 days there were at least 11 stories about this. My only point here is that the media too often focuses on irrelevant tabloid stories for the sake of ratings. Significant events that affect the course of history (such as those leading up to 9/11) are not as tantilizing as sex, murder, Hollywood, and apparently sharks. But can we really blame the media? After all, they're only supplying what is in demand. Am I being pessimistic, or do the American people no longer wish to be informed, only entertained?

George Weigel to Speak Locally

St. Pius X Parish Is Proud to Welcome
Renowned Author and Scholar
George Weigel

Who Will be Speaking on: "The Achievement of John Paul II"

George Weigel is a Roman Catholic theologian and one of America's leading commentators on issues of religion and public life. He is most known for being the author of Witness to Hope, the definitive biography of Pope John Paul II. Some of his other books include The Truth of Catholicism, The Courage to Be Catholic and Letters to a Young Catholic. In addition to his books, Weigel has contributed essays, op-ed columns, and reviews to the major opinion journals and newspapers in the United States. He has appeared on numerous network television, cable television, and radio discussion programs, and is a consultant on Vatican affairs for NBC News. His weekly column, "The Catholic Difference," is syndicated to sixty newspapers around the United States. Both his scholarly work and his journalism have been translated into a variety of western languages.

Date and Time: Friday, January 14, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.
Place: St. Pius Elementary School Auditorium
205 East Bayou Parkway
Lafayette, LA 70508

Scott Peterson: Amateur Abortionist

I believe I made this point in one of my first posts. Mine wasn't as funny as this one though.

Internet Hunting

That's right. Actual deer and hog hunting over the internet. I'm not talking X-box live here. I'm talking about a real deer rifle and camera connected to a robotic platform that can be controlled (i.e. aimed and fired) via the internet. Think of the possibilities.

I've been hearing that the North East is overrun with deer. What a perfect solution. Instead of the stupid birth control injections they are using, just set up a bunch of these robot deer stands and advertise during a NASCAR race. You'll have that deer population under control in no time.

Spurrier's Back!

Now how tough is the SEC? Steve Spurrier has agreed in principle to coach at South Carolina next year. Do you think the AD at Florida is second guessing himself right about now? "Uh... maybe I should have offered the job a little quicker. That display case full of SEC championship trophies and that '96 national championship was probably a good enough resume." This season is not nearly over and already I can't wait for next season. Mark your calendars because Florida is playing at South Carolina on November 12, 2005.

Iran Wants Sanctions Too

This was too funny.

Arafat: A Palistinian Role Model

Now that Yasir Arafat has assumed room temperature, I feel compelled to praise at least one of his accomplishments. I thought about it for a while and I've decided that Arafat was actually a good role model for the various Palestinian militia groups who looked up to him for so long. If they would only follow his example of daily living. Arafat ate well, got his rest, and from what I've seen, he never strapped explosives to his chest and he certainly never blew himself up in the middle of an Israeli marketplace. I think that was the key to his longevity.

Mozilla Firefox

Twice this past week I've read about Mozilla's Firefox web browser being the greatest thing since sliced bread. I downloaded and installed it about 20 minutes ago and I can already see a big difference. It's much faster than IE. So far, it's also killed the annoying pop ups that I couldn't kill with the Google toolbar or Ad-Aware, or Spy-bot, or Window Washer or anything else. I'm not one of these anti-Bill-Gates techno junkies, but the early exit polls I've conducted on myself show a landslide in favor of the "Firefox rules & IE is junk" ticket. I'll be using Firefox exclusively from now on and I'll let you know if I change my mind.

UPDATE: I've just discovered live bookmarks and RSS feeds. This is probably old news to many of you but I'm no web geek. Using these live bookmarks, I can quickly browse all blogspot sites (and you can browse mine) for new posts. A sidebar lists all recent posts by title. It also works for news stories and other stuff. Firefox gets better and better.

Auburn #1

Why is Auburn ranked third? Why are the sports pundits talking about how Auburn should probably be ranked second? Why are the AP voters still pimping USC? The Auburn Tigers should be first in my book, and since the BCS is more subjective these days, my book is as good or better than any other, and at least as good as the BCS.

I'm looking at the schedules of USC, Auburn and Oklahoma. If you'll notice, USC has played two top 25 teams this year (Virginia Tech & California), while Oklahoma has played 3 (Texas, Texas A&M, & Oklahoma State), and Auburn has played 3 (Georgia, Tennessee, & LSU) and will play a fourth in the SEC championship game. If you consider these teams strength of schedule, I think the rankings are backwards. Auburn is #1, Oklahoma is #2, and USC is #3. For those of you who would point to USC's domination of most of it's opponents, I'd say that beating teams like Stanford (4-6) by 3 points does not impress me.

However, Auburn's domination of Georgia today is impressive. If Auburn can finish undefeated (and they can) they are certainly deserving of a title shot.

...and if you're interested, there's a great article on Auburn and the bunk BCS system here.

Monsieur Moore is Not Dead

Michael Moore has returned from the edge of oblivion and found a reason to live. Seventeen reasons to be exact.