Clean livin’ son. Clean livin’

The link below is to an interesting vid on the front page of NBC News.com from a couple of weeks ago. Is there a fight ramping up over the death penalty again?
http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/debunker/crime-deterrent-debunking-death-penalty-myths-n40571

Also making its way around the interwebs, is a letter by convicted killer Ray L Jasper who is scheduled to take in his last breath on March 19 of this year.

I’ll probably ruffle the feathers of a few of my left-leaning friends with this post and surprise those who know me from my UU church with my opinion on the death penalty.

I am from Texas however and as the comedian Ron White says, “as other states are trying to abolish it [the death penalty] my state is putting in an express lane.”

After I viewed the NBC News video from that link above though I couldn’t help but come up with my own monologue about

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and the Dixie Chicks were ashamed to be from Texas?

Well, add The Deist to that list! I just found out that the legislature of my home state did one of the stupidest things in the history of things that state legislatures have done… EVER!

Apparently Texas high schools are now required to offer (as an elective) a class that teaches The Bible. How did I miss this?… it passed two years ago and it begins this school year.

What I am hoping will happen is this will be challenged, defeated and left in church where it belongs. Hello 1st Amendment!

Until then, I suspect what will happen is the students who take this class will fall into one of three categories:

1. kids who have been taking Bible study in church and are hoping to score an easy A.
2. objective, smart kids who hope the class will actually teach them something new and will ask about the inconsistencies and contradictions or
3. stoner kids hoping they can score on the churchy kids.

I am hoping the person who teaches this class is either:

1. an atheist who knows the Bible inside and out and will bury the kids looking for an easy A.
2. a fundamentalist who gets stumped by the smart kids and made to look like a dumbass or
3. the football coach who doesn’t teach a thing except why it’s called a hail Mary.

Ok, in all seriousness, if I could be convinced

brother can you spare a dime?

Hello friendly blog peeps, peepettes and casual visitors.

Today’s post is asking for a HUGE favor.

If you look to the right… right next to the title of this post you’ll see a picture. If you click it, the link will take you to my page on the Lone Star Chapter of The National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s website.

I’m writing about this because I want to let you know I’m riding my bicycle half way across Texas in an effort to raise funds for researchers to find a cure for MS. I’m riding in the 2009 MS 150 Bike Tour from Houston to Austin. It’s about 160 miles or so over two days.

I’m do it for two reasons. One… believe it or not, I find it fun and of course, challenging. (i’ve ridden this ride before) Two… I know I am extremely lucky to be able to move my body on my own and so I feel an obligation to help.

I want to help researchers find a cure for folks who don’t move so well because of this disease.

I’m no scientist. I don’t know much about this disease or what it will take to end it. But I can pedal my bike and ask people to donate to my ride so the smart guys can figure a way to help those who are afflicted with this disease.

So I hope you will.

I hope you can spare ten bucks… or five bucks… or three or even one.

I know five bucks or even one doesn’t seem like a lot but it all adds up.

When I was in the Marine Corps I learned a saying from the grunts… “ounces make pounds.” I first heard it when my unit attached with some grunts for training and we were going on a 13 mile hike carrying all our gear on our back.

A few of the guys took us “non-hackers” aside and said, “ounces make pounds, Marine. Let me see your gear.” They proceeded to show us how stripping every tiny piece of non-essential crap added up to a lot of weight.

“Ounces make pounds” folks. I know times are tough. Hell, I barely have two nickels to rub together but if you could donate whatever you can…

well, every little bit adds up to a lot.

rehearing Prop 8 in California

From what I understand, the California Supreme Court has 90 days from the hearing that was held on March 5th to decide what it’s going to do in regards to Prop 8 once and for all.

I still don’t understand why letting anyone get married is so offensive to some people. In the video link below you’ll see there is guy “A” yelling to guy “B”, “you’re going to hell!!” It’s at about 1:16. He also calls him “filthy” and other not-so-nice things and wasn’t being very Christ-like although he used the Bible as the basis of his stance.

What does it matter to guy “A”. So what! Why do you care if guy “B” is going to hell.
What does it matter to you. How does it affect you!… guy A?

And another thing… why would anyone want the government telling them what they can or can’t do. I really don’t get it. How does any thinking person think it’s ok for the government to tell someone they can or can’t get married or do anything they want for that matter so long as it doesn’t infringe on the right of someone else right to enjoy freedom and happiness.

I know… you think it just isn’t right. You can’t just redefine a word to include other things. Marriage is one woman and one man, sanctified by God.

You know what… that’s morality. That’s the government dictating to you what is right or wrong. Do you want the government (particularly this Dem-led congress and administration)