Happy [Belated] Thanksgiving

So busy and tired yesterday that I didn't have a chance to say 'Happy Thanksgiving.'

so: HAPPY THANKSGIVING. [Burp!]

Mine was a bit unconventional this year and someday I'll tell you all about it!

One thing I've noticed over the years: sometimes the most unconventional Thanksgivings turn out to be some of the best. Point in case: A year or so after my mother had died in 1995, I was looking 'forward' to my first Thanksgiving alone. As it happened about two days before the holiday, I'd discovered that a favorite stage actor of mine would be appearing in Philadelphia at the Walnut Street theatre in Philadelphia. I immediately sent up an alert to a friend of mine, also single and 'alone for the holiday' at the time, and we were each able within 24 hours able to arrange a long weekend trip to Philly. Her coming from Michigan, me from California. We were easily able to book flights from our respective states and flew on Thanksgiving day itself. We each arrived late afternoon in Philly and had a nice reunion. Well, Thanksgiving day in Philly, the question was 'where to eat' as certainly all our bucks had been blown on laying out beaucoup bucks for hotel, theatre tickets [5 shows, if I remember rightly!] and flight. So dinner at a posh restaurant wasn't exactly what we wanted to lay out for our food budget!

But what does Philly specialize in but luscious Cheese Steak sandwiches. So we looked for a likely neighborhood restaurant not too far from where we were staying and we feasted on Cheesesteak, fries, and a good desssert. That weekend we did all our 'shows' and had a nice little chat with the actor in question who knew us.

One of the best Thanksgivings ever. Totally unexpected. Curiously enough in two subsequent years (though not successive) this exact scenario had happened again. Our favorite actor had two more times been booked for the show given that fell in late November. So it's not necessarily about the turkey. Or seeing your uncles argue over studded winter tires are best over all-weather tires. Or using grandma's china. Or whose football team gets wiped out.

But it IS also about fellowship, giving thanks to God for being alive and being allowed within reason to chart ones own course, and the bonds we form not only through family (they are kinda stuck with you anyway!) but also among friends, and having the mutual love and support. Traditions are important, and fun, and right. But it doesn't always have to be the same thing every year. Often times it's the 'different' ones that stay in the memory the longest.

Those 3 Thanksgivings in Philly will remain so for a long time. As will this one. But this one is another story for later.

Holiday Hint - How to Gift Wrap a Cat

Personally, I think this cat was drugged to get it to cooperate.

De Nile Ain't Just a River In Egypt

Love this quote from Zero the Wonderpony in his 60 Minutes interview:

"[...] I think that, over the course of two years we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that, we stopped paying attention to the fact that leadership isn’t just legislation. That it’s a matter of persuading people. And giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone,” Mr. Obama told 60 Minutes’ Steve Kroft in an exclusive interview set to air Sunday.

“Making an argument that people can understand,” Mr. Obama continued, “I think that we haven’t always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And it’s something that I’ve got to examine carefully … as I go forward.”

Oh....now I get it, skippy, I see, the American people were too stupid to understand the wonderous gift you bestowed on all of us with your enlightened grandious ponzi schemes that are unsustainable. Yes, if we could only be made to see the wonders of tripling the entire national debt, we wouldn't have handed your your arrogant backside on a platter.

I think Webster's will be missing out if they don't put your picture next to the word 'hubris' in the dictionary. Nice to know America has its own 'Bagdad Bob': 'NO, The Americans have absolutely NOT taken the city, there are NO tanks behind me... I repeat NO tanks behind me....'

Story here.

I love the smell of...

burning democrat flesh in the morning ... it smells like ....

VICTORY.

Black Panther in Chief Moochelle Obama Shills in Polling Place

The hubris of these people easily matches Marie Antoinette. Got news for you, missy. The guy you sleep with is going to be in a snit soon, because he won't be able to requistion another 2 oz. of Kobe beef for the backyard BBQ once his minions in the House and Senate get their asses handed to them this November, and you won't be able to do zippity-do-dah.

As per usual the Chicago thugs are kissing her rear end because "you have to bend standards for her." Well, why the hell not. Eric Holder already dropped prosecuting the Panthers in Philadelphia for their voter intimidation. Why shouldn't Moochelle be able to campaign inside a polling place if she wants to? She's "entitled" and the laws don't apply to these jerks.

Well, Missy. As it happened I'll also be out of town on election day, and I happened to vote early yesterday too. Here's a newsflash for you - NO ONE I voted for had a "D" beside his/her name. And I was so ticked off as far as the judges went, if they were appointed by a "D", they got voted against too.

Too good Not to Go Viral

You have to wonder if Hitlery is thinking of chal-

lenging "the won." I love how Wisconsin Lib. Russ Feingold can't seem to find time to show up at the fundraiser Zero came out to do for him. Toxic. How appropriate.

One Year Anniversary

Today is an anni-

versary for me. It's not a pleasant one to remember. It was one year ago today that I was told by my former pastor not to "chase after" and "embarrass" people who walk away from Holy Communion without consuming the Host. I quit on the spot. Usually you don't quit after 37 years all in a shock to the system like that. But I had to do it. Needless to say, the diocesan non-response of just shining it on without an apology is despicable to me. I never thought much of our bishop to begin with, but his non-response/handling is about as bad as the original offense as it condones what the pastor did.

Thankfully, I had already been going to St. Anne's parish in San Diego for frequent daily Mass, it having been close to my work. If not for Fr. Sean Finnegan's visit in the summer of 2008, I'd have been unaware of that new parish being given over to the TLM.

I still go to see the Sainted Fr. S. at his home to assist at his Sunday Mass. [He is not able to drive any longer, due to an eye problem.] But I also frequently make a morning Sunday Mass at St. Anne's, as well as get there for daily Mass when I can.

The TLM still has a few drawbacks for me. I'm no "silent" canon fan. But at least I know that the priest is going to say and do exactly what the Mass calls for. The priest isn't going to ad lib. And for sure he'd like as not personally put someone in a headlock who tried to waltz away with Holy Communion without consuming it. That's probably what I like best about the Latin Mass. Fr. Gismondi [aka "The Amazing Fr. G." on this blog] would follow through on St Tarcisius's example. Sadly, today, some priests would consider him a "meanspirited" naive rube.

Today Fr. Gismondi had a votive Mass for Vocations. Most appropriate. We need more good priests. And also prayers for priests who seem to have lost their way.

9 years on

...most of us remember, despite the lies of the Resident crypto Imman.

Making the rounds:

"Barack 0BAMA, During his Cairo speech, said: "I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America's history."

AN AMERICAN CITIZEN'S RESPONSE:

Dear Mr. 0bama:

Were those Muslims who were in America when the Pilgrims first landed? Funny, I thought they were Native American Indians.

Were those Muslims that celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day? Sorry again, those were Pilgrims and Native American Indians.

Can you show me one Muslim signature on the United States Constitution? Declaration Of Independence ? Bill of Rights? Didn't think so.

Did Muslims fight for this country's freedom from England ? No.

Did Muslims fight during the Civil War to free the Slaves in America ? No, they did not. In fact, Muslims to this day are still the largest traffickers in human slavery. Your own half brother, a devout Muslim, still advocates slavery himself, even though Muslims of Arabic descent refer to black muslims as "pug nosed slaves." Says a lot of what the Muslim world really thinks of your family's "rich Islamic heritage," doesn't it Mr. 0bama?

Where were Muslims during the Civil Rights era of this Country? Not present.

There are no pictures or media accounts of Muslims walking side by side with Martin Luther King, Jr. or helping to advance the cause of Civil Rights.

Where were Muslims during this country's Woman's Suffrage Era? Again, not present. In fact, devout Muslims demand that women are subservient to men in the Islamic culture. So much so, that often they are beaten for not wearing the 'hajib' or for talking to a man who is not a direct family member or their husband. Yep, the Muslims are all for women's rights, aren't they?

Where were Muslims during World War II? They were aligned with Adolf Hitler. The Muslim Grand Mufti himself met with Adolf Hitler, reviewed the troops and accepted support from the Nazis in killing Jews.

Finally, Mr. 0bama, where were Muslims on Sept. 11th, 2001? If they weren't flying planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon or a field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people on our own soil, they were rejoicing in the Middle East. No one can dispute the pictures shown from all parts of the Muslim world celebrating on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and other cable news networks that day.

Strangely, the very "moderate" Muslims whose asses you bent over backwards to kiss in Cairo , Egypt on June 4th were stone cold silent, post 9-11. To many Americans, their silence has meant approval for the acts of that day.

And THAT, Mr. 0bama, is the "rich heritage" Muslims have here in America.

Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to mention the Barbary Pirates. They were Muslim. And now we can add November 5, 2009 - the slaughter of American soldiers at Fort Hood by a Muslim major who is a doctor and a psychiatrist who was supposed to be counseling soldiers returning from battle in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That, Mr. 0bama is the "Muslim heritage" in America.

Muslim Heritage, my ass."

Happy Birthday, Blessed Mother

I always try to go to mass on Sept. 8th to honor the Blessed Mother. I don't always get to go, but this year I did. I especially liked all the red roses in the Sanctuary.

Today also has a touch of poignancy for me too. It marks the 9th anniversary of my dad's death.

RIP, I'm glad he died on a day where we celebrate our heavenly mother's birthday. I feel reassured that she was close to him and had him under her special protection when he died.

I think my dad would have liked the young priest who said the mass today a lot. Fr. Gordon is particularly a little gung ho when he invokes the prayer to St. Michael, the Archangel. Fr. Gordon was ex-military, and so was my dad.

One nice thing to mention about my dad today was how much I appreciated how generous he was to all my friends, without fail. Dad always said things like "X is welcome to come along." He always took time to chat a bit with them.

The Blessed Mother was especially good to me too, today. Let's just say I had to go down to a government office and the outcome couldn't have been better. She gave me an early birthday present on her birthday.

He can't be more wrong

I love this quote from the New York Slimes:

"Mr. Obama also used Monday’s appearance here to deliver a hearty defense of his policies and take a few whacks at Republicans. “They talk about me like a dog,” the president said. “That’s not in my prepared remarks, but it’s true.” And Mr. Obama repeatedly referred to the House Republican leader, Representative John Boehner, as “the man who wants to be speaker.”

Uh, Zero...we LIKE dogs. Just stick to your teleprompter, assuming it's not on strike, and you'll give yourself fewer chances to say stupid things.

It's Muslims who treat dogs badly and think badly of them. So if you're really not one, stop quacking like one. Personally, I think Zero is too much of a narcissist to worship anyone but himself.

St. Anne's Rectory Now a Canonical House

Meant to post this much sooner. Earlier this year, Fr. Berg, the Superior General of the FSSP was out, with permission of the local Ordinary to perform Confirmations using the older Tridentine ritual. At that time he'd asked for permission to establish a canonical house for the order.

Permission was granted Mid-August. This is huge. What it means is that the FSSP is now permanently established in San Diego, and a future bishop can not tell the FSSP to "take a hike." In other words, the FSSP will always have a permanent home in San Diego. The rectory will now be called St. Joachim House.

The parish is coming together nicely. It had been a disused parish (having consolidated with a neighboring one in 2006.) In the fall of 2008 St. Anne's was given over to the care of the FSSP under the direction of Fr. Gismondi. Early last spring, a nearby house was up for sale and the parish was able to come up with enough money for a downpayment for the property, and has over the course of a year been doing repairs. Mid October it will finally be finished to where the parish offices can be moved there, as well as have additional classroom space for catechism, meetings, etc.

[St. Joachim is the name traditionally given as the husband of St. Anne, so that's why the rectory is now named after him.]

This is Paris. Will it be NYC or Dearborn?

Coming to a city near you.

iv>

A Wikipedia Article on the French law of 1905 regards "separation of church and state" can be seen here.

A few years ago, I'd come across the following item and had tried to find it again, but no luck. Then earlier this week, I found it. Food for thought. Is this what the politically correct really want the west to run western democracies into? PT Barnum knew.

********
"Islam is not a religion, nor is it a cult. In its fullest form, it is a complete, total, 100% system of life.

Islam has religious, legal, political, economic, social, and military components. The religious component is a beard for all of the other components.

Islamization begins when there are sufficient Muslims in a country / geographic area to agitate for their religious privileges.

When politically correct, tolerant, and culturally diverse societies agree to Muslim demands for their religious privileges, some of the other components tend to creep in as well.

Here's how it works:
As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in any given country, they will be for the most part be regarded as a peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens. This is the > case in:

United States -- Muslim 0..6%
Australia -- Muslim 1.5%
Canada -- Muslim 1.9%
China -- Muslim 1.8%
Italy -- Muslim 1.5%
Norway -- Muslim 1.8%

At 2% to 5%, they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs. This is happening in:

Denmark -- Muslim 2%
Germany -- Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom -- Muslim 2.7%
Spain -- Muslim 4%
Thailand -- Muslim 4.6%

From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. For example, they will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature halal on their shelves -- along with threats for failure to comply. This is occurring in:

France -- Muslim 8%
Philippines -- 5%
Sweden -- Muslim 5%
Switzerland -- Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands -- Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad & Tobago -- Muslim 5.8%

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves (within their ghettos) under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islamists is to establish Sharia law over the entire world.

When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. In Paris , we are already seeing car-burnings. Any non-Muslim action offends Islam and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam, with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam. Such tensions are seen daily, particularly in Muslim sections, in:

Guyana -- Muslim 10%
India -- Muslim 13.4%
Israel -- Muslim 16%
Kenya -- Muslim 10%
Russia -- Muslim 15%

After reaching 20%, nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, such as in:

Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%

At 40%, nations experience widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in:

Bosnia -- Muslim 40%
Chad -- Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon -- Muslim 59.7%

From 60%, nations experience unfettered persecution of non-believers of all other religions (including non-conforming Muslims), sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon, and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels, such as in:

Albania -- Muslim 70%
Malaysia -- Muslim 60.4%
Qatar -- Muslim 77.5%
Sudan -- Muslim 70%

After 80%, expect daily intimidation and violent jihad, some State-run ethnic cleansing, and even some genocide, as these nations drive out the infidels, and move toward 100% Muslim, such as has been experienced and in some ways is on-going in:

Bangladesh -- Muslim 83%
Egypt -- Muslim 90%
Gaza -- Muslim 98.7%
Indonesia -- Muslim 86.1%" [Childhood home of Zero]

****

And if you happen to be an oil-rich virtually 100% Muslim nation like Saudi Arabia, you can buy mosques near ground zero and have liberals fall all over themselves proving how "tolerant" they are of you. Meanwhile YOU can bar churches, synagogues, etc. from being built at all in your country and laugh all the way to the bank, while you spread your Wahabbi based fanaticism around the globe.

And about Dearborn? Not long ago an item was covered regards a Dearborn high school football team holding midnight football practise in order to accomodate their Muslim players during the month of Ramadan. Whatever.

I'm 100% for the Ground Zero Mosque

...with the provision that they bury that son-of-a-bitch 0bama underneath the thing.

Too bad there isn't enough room for all the other sons of bitches who put him in power.

I guess some people need a reminder:

Zero couldn't be bothered to attend the long running annual "National PRayer Breakfast" for the 2nd year in a row for "fear of offending." But naturally this closet Muzzie had time to host an kick off dinner for RamaDamaDingDong.


But what do you expect of someone who sat in the "church" of Rev. "Hate Whitey" Wright for 20 years who famously said "God damn America."

At Mass

Sometimes when I go to the later morning Mass these 3 boys, looking for all the world like they are throwbacks to my 1964 3rd grade class, show up looking bright as pennies to sit in the front row next to me.

And "they" tell me kids won't put up with the latin Mass.

I don't know if they had fun playing "Spot the error" the other morning. I did also note that 5 mothers had brought their infants in arms...which will make in future for an expanding and sustainable parish.

Side benefit number 703 to being Catholic

Last night a friend of mine went down to church for adoration and Mass. After Mass we ran into two nice women, Kathleen and Jeanne from Tehachapi (California) [out in the boonies to most of us in Ca., except for people living there] who were in town for the pro-life conference given at San Diego State University today. Jeanne had lived in San Diego County before, so was somewhat familiar with some of the places and parishes we knew.

They'd wanted to know how to get to the Little Italy area to go to dinner. Then they started asking us about the church and the Mass there. Upshot of it was we all went out to dinner together and had a great time at Mona Lisa. On the drive over there, my friend, Julia, who considers herself NOT a good mixer, was anxious she'd have enough to talk about. How wrong she was! The 4 of us chatted like we'd known each other for years. I think pretty much ANY practising Catholics would find something to converse about.

Catholics take on all comers, and we sometimes "forget" the word means "universal." Kathleen is new to the Latin Mass and I'd told her about the posting I did on my other blog regards Latin Mass for "dummies" guide, so I'm going to mail her the link, and in turn she has some really neat pics of Tehachpie that she showed me that were still in her camera. She and Jeanne had also travelled back east to Buffalo and Cleveland to see Fr. Corapi of EWTN fame and also the Shrine of St. Anne's.

Devotion Meme

Esther tagged me to name 5 favorite devotions - Mass is NOT to be included - and then tag 5 other people and let them know they've been tagged, and then give the person you tagged a link back to the post you've completed.

1. Benediction - my favorite since incense first hit my nose
2. Adoration - nothing is more peaceful than planting yourself in front of a tabernacle with the exposed Eucharist
3. Rosary - because
4. Stations - I do these more in Lent, but still
5. Centering Prayer - [ha-ha, GOTCHA, you didn't really think I'd do something as daft as "centering prayer" did you?] No, really for number 5:
Lighting a Candle or two or three, and giving an on-the-fly intention request to St. Michael, St. Jude, St. Anne, St. Therese, or St. Anthony, or the BVM to take it upstairs for me on speed dial request line.

I tag - Digi, Dominic Mary, Tara, Mum of 6, and Packrat.

Who knew..

..that KMart had a "ghetto chic" line? I'm calling fashion felony.

[Now Michelle, please do not be surprised if your youngest acquires the name "Princess Leia" amongst her friends - you did this to her by allowing her to look like some stupid wanna be hootchie ballet tart in training. Can you people confine "tacky" to yourselves? OR is it just asking too much?]

Q.E.D. baby...

From the Torygraph...

"Our schools are a disaster zone, churning out to[sic!] many pupils lacking even the most basic skills."

Well, duh. I guess the author didn't have my 1st grade nun, Sister Mary Kevin Ruler-on-the-back-of-the-hand-for-dumbass-mistakes.

Melancholy Baby

I always get a little melancholy this time of the year. It would have been my mother's 80th birthday today. Sadly, I didn't make it to Mass as planned today, but will, God willing, attend tomorrow. A few days from now on the 8th will be the 15th Anniversary of her death. I ache for her touch, and would give anything to be able to kiss and hug her as well as listen to her good counsel.

My mother and her brothers and sisters sat for this formal portrait in the mid 1930s. Her maiden name was Shelak - and the photo was taken in Northampton or Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.



Back row: John, Catherine (my mother), and Anna
Front row seated: Mary, Andrew, and Helen


I expect the kids are in their Sunday best. 4 of the six are now deceased. My Aunt Mary who is now well in her 80s is getting frail now, and the other surviving aunt, my aunt Anna, is advancing in Alzheimers. Not pictured is my Uncle Joseph, who was born a bit more than a decade after this picture was taken. He's only 9 years older than I am.

These children of my emigre (Autro-Hungarian empire) grandparents did quite well for themselves. They all were married and had families 6 of the 7 marriages stayed together, which isn't a bad percentage as things go considering the turmoil of the 60s and 70s. Uncle John was a WWII veteran who saw duty in the Marines on Guadal Canal among other places, he later became a long distance truck driver and was based out of Texas - his 3 children and their families are still in Pennsylvania.

My 3 aunts pictured here all worked in the garment industry and each could sew like a dream. Not a gene I inherited. All were ILGWU members. When you could still get clothes made in the USA and not sized for some sort of pygmy with no hips or boobs. Let me put it this way: They not only knew what a "dart" was, they made them - and could do their own patterns too, and often did. Mom gave up working outside the home when she married my dad (also a Korean Era vet who worked his way up the food chain to be a plant manager for a beverage company). My uncle Andrew was a veteran of the Korean War and he later went to Layfayette College on the GI bill and became a chemical engineer. The youngest, Joseph, [4F from a motorcycle accident and my only uncle who wasn't a vet] graduated from Penn State and became a hardward/software support guru for IBM mainframes pretty much in the late 60s when mainframes where huge gully whumpers which took up whole rooms for about the power of a computer you're sitting in front of now.l He's almost retired. Joe and Andy also bopped around the country a bit, both "homing" back to Pennsylvania - my own family moved to California (after stays elsewhere) when I was 14. And my mother's sisters all lived literally within a block or two of each other and their mother. When we were all little kids together, it was great to be able to bounce around between the 4 houses. Now one of my cousins still lives two doors from his mom (Anna) and his sister and her husband still live close to the old family homes (two still occupied in houses in homes my uncles and grandfather helped build.)

Given the tendency of cyberspace to hang around, I dedicate this post to my maternal cousins and their children and their grandchildren and coming grandchildren and future generations-- maybe someday they'll "google" "Pennsylvania" and "Shelak" and see this photo of their predecessors.

I've written quite a bit about my mother before, but to throw in something a little fun I must say that while dad and I enjoyed fishing (especially in my teen years) though dad and I usually came up with something or other and didn't get totally zipped - mom always had a "string." She just had more patience than the two of us put together! God knows she was the only one who regularly came home with halibut while the two of us were aced out.



Oh, just to taste on of her fish fry ups once more. Happy 80th birthday, mommy.

Frontierville Addiction

Yes. It's true. It afflicts many. "Red" positively got up in a snit and left when I stopped playing for a bit.

I am SO stoked!

Season whatever of "Project Runway" starts tonight. Guilty pleasure. I don't care. I'm not even going to try and justify it. I gather Santino is on tonight too. All this and heaven too. "Tim Gunn, Tim Gunn...when he says your name you're done!"

Awoooo!!!!

5 more minutes and counting.

BOHICA America, congrats NHS coming to a hospital near you

The only thing the Obamination likes about the UK is their rationed health care. THIS is the system he wants for us: Basically DESTROY private health insurance and then herd every one of the peons into his single payer CRAP system where the government is free to ration.

Here's a partial list of what's coming down the pike for the UK, and eventually the bell will toll for me and thee.

From the Daily Telegraph:

"An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has uncovered widespread cuts planned across the NHS, many of which have already been agreed by senior health service officials. They include:

* Restrictions on some of the most basic and common operations, including hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery and orthodontic procedures.

* Plans to cut hundreds of thousands of pounds from budgets for the terminally ill, with dying cancer patients to be told to manage their own symptoms if their condition worsens at evenings or weekends.

* The closure of nursing homes for the elderly.

* A reduction in acute hospital beds, including those for the mentally ill, with targets to discourage GPs from sending patients to hospitals and reduce the number of people using accident and emergency departments.

* Tighter rationing of NHS funding for IVF treatment, and for surgery for obesity.

* Thousands of job losses at NHS hospitals, including 500 staff to go at a trust where cancer patients recently suffered delays in diagnosis and treatment because of staff shortages.

* Cost-cutting programmes in paediatric and maternity services, care of the elderly and services that provide respite breaks to long-term carers."

Full article here.

Once again I'd like to thank the 63+ million a$$holes who voted this bastard in. Thank you, you've ****ed up America for generations to come. How's that dope with the chains working for you? I hope it's YOUR family that gets hurt by stuff like this.

Did I call that right? I *DO* know these people

...."like every square inch of my glorious naked body" as "ElRushBo" would say. A few posts ago I mentioned re: The worthless Zero Krew *needing* to have your BMI index calculation stored with your REQUIRED TO BE MANDATORY online Electronic Medical Records, and my speculation that "of course" [sarcastic mode on] that "surrrre" HIV status and # of abortions had would also be kept.

Well, here's confirmation that HIV status and abortion history is "optional."

from the article:

Obama's Electronic Health Records Czar: HIV Status and Abortions Need Not be Included
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
By Matt Cover, Staff Writer

"(CNSNews.com) – Dr. David Blumenthal, the Obama administration's National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, said on Tuesday that patients can choose to omit procedures such as abortions and positive HIV tests from the electronic health records (EHR) that every American is supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the economic stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year.

Blumenthal's office, a subdivision of the Department of Health and Human Services, was created by the stimulus law specifically to generate the standards and regulations that will govern the federally mandated use of EHRs.

Section 3001 of the stimulus law charges the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology with overseeing the "development of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that allows for the electronic use and exchange of information" that, among other things, "reduces health care costs resulting from inefficiency, medical errors, inappropriate care, duplicative care, and incomplete information" and "provides appropriate information to help guide medical decisions at the time and place of care."
"

These people are so transparent you'd have to be a freakin' idiot to think this is ANYTHING to do with "health care" and NOT all about CONTROL. Once they control your "health care" they own you. They'll get to dole out what care you get IF they think you are deserving. Hell, if you want to be perverse people who've had abortions or are HIV positive should absolutely make sure this is recorded along with the rest of their records...it will be another "affirmative action preference" when the time comes to dole out scarce surgeries, drugs, and other things they'll ration. "Why you've had 5 abortions? Go to the head of the line, you're our little girl."

This is why we need a LONG FORM birth certificate check before any candidate is allowed to stand for president. We still haven't seen Zero's birth certificate. And remember, NO Hawaiian hospital claims he was born there. A bit unusual, no? when practically every where Millard Fillmore gave someone a hickey has a historical marker. Can we please throw this Kenyan out of office and thereby nullify every piece of legislation the bastard has signed? Is it any wonder this clown wants a kill switch on the internet?

Prayer Meme

We haven't been doing memes in a while, so Mac thought this one up, and tagged Dominic Mary who tagged me.

The rules, (from Mac) which need to be posted: "Name your three most favorite prayers, and explain why they're your favorites. Then tag five bloggers - give them a link, and then go and tell them they have been tagged. Finally, tell the person who tagged you that you've completed the meme... The Liturgy and the Sacraments are off limits here. I'm more interested in people's favorite devotional prayers."

1.) Hail Mary: THE "go to" prayer. Especially good for the REALLY big stuff of the "my aunt got hit by a car and is in dire need of help" to "the quarterback never saw the hit coming and his knee might finally be trashed forever please don't let him be crippled for life" -- she is also especially good at things like "I need to find a restroom quickly or be as embarrassed as all get out." Even if you are the king, you listen to your mother. If anyone will get the attention of Jesus, it is His mother.

2.) Prayer to St. Michael: I have particularly liked it lately. I say it a few times a day now...just because of Obama and the evil stuff he and his crew are constantly pulling. There is NO prayer that ends with quite the bang this one does of righteous indignation about people getting what's coming to them if they don't have a "come to Jesus" meeting. "...by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits [i.e. Obama and company] who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.


3) Hail Holy Queen: Right after the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, this is the one my mother taught me. We said these four prayers in order when I was tiny and I used to kneel ON the bed when I was two. Mother didn't want me in my jammies, getting any dirt from the floor onto the bed so she had me kneel there. In THOSE days there wasn't wall to wall carpeting everywhere. I liked the fact that she DIDN'T try to explain it to me, but as time went on it revealed its richness to me and the words weren't "dumbed down." From earliest childhood the word "Christ" for some reason has always been associated in my mind with a piece of hot buttered toast. Perhaps I thought that this fellow "Christ" was obviously someone important, kind, and all powerful...which gave me the same warm all over feeling, not unlike having a piece of hot buttered toast when all is right with the world. Whatever. I've always found it wonderful because of the warm childhood memories of saying this with my mother AND it's a great prayer when contemplating an on-going issue that takes lots of prayer.

Now for the tags:
Digihairshirt
Tara
Adrienne
Fr. Boyle
Esther

Fed Government Now Paying for Abortion

Yes, once again, thanks to 63 million stupid people who thought Zero was going to pay their mortgages and put a chicken liver in every pothead, the feds are now giving out money like vomit from a drunk to directly pay for abortions. Your tax dollars in action. Isn't this a great country or what? We USED to have the Hyde Amendment which at least nixed federal abortion funding...but oh, no...why NOT offend people and make them pay for someone else to kill their own kid. WaytaGo, morons. That's what Obama REALLY means by "helping the poor." KILL THEIR CHILDREN!

Here is an excerpt from LifeSiteNews on the issue:

"WASHINGTON, D.C., July 13, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In the first known instance of direct federal funding of abortion under the new health care legislation, the Obama Administration will give Pennsylvania $160 million to set up a new "high-risk" insurance program - and has quietly approved a plan submitted by an appointee of Governor Edward Rendell (D) under which the new program will cover any abortion that is legal in Pennsylvania.

The high-risk pool program, which will be funded entirely by the federal government, is one of the new programs created by the sweeping health care legislation President Obama signed into law on March 23. The law authorizes $5 billion in federal funds for the program, which will cover as many as 400,000 people when it is implemented nationwide.

Although an earlier version of the health care legislation prevented federal funds from subsidizing abortion, that protection was not included in the bill signed into law. Although the president's Executive Order regarding funding for abortion was touted as the solution, the White House later admitted the Order simply "reiterated" what was already in the bill. Nonetheless, the mainstream media continues to portray the Executive Order as having effectively blocked federal funds for abortion.

"This is just the first proof of the phoniness of President Obama's assurances that federal funds would not subsidize abortion - but it will not be the last," said Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC).
"

The Zero Krew needs to know how fat you are

Yes, that's right. Someone lit Michelle Obama's tampon on fire. Buried in the myriad of micro-management by the Zero regime, is the REQUIREMENT that it be included in your MANDATED electronic health care records...coming down the pike soon.

"(CNSNews.com) – New federal regulations issued this week stipulate that the electronic health records--that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year--must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the Body Mass Index: a measure of obesity.

The obesity-rating regulation states that every American's electronic health record must: “Calculate body mass index. Automatically calculate and display body mass index (BMI) based on a patient’s height and weight.”

The law also requires that these electronic health records be available--with appropriate security measures--on a national exchange."

Full story
The regulation

Gee, I'm sure everyone will be able to find out how many abortions someone has had and their HIV status as well. Surrrrrre.

The Zero regime: don't you love it. They assume doctors are too stupid be able to look at someone and tell if they're fat or not. Once again, thank you to all 63million+ a$$holes who voted for this guy. YOU are getting what you deserve. The rest of us shouldn't have to suffer.

Someone Explain this one To Me

I've never under-

stood. But then I don't have siblings or enemies... anyone ever do this or were you ever the "vic?" Someone once tried to tell me that sneakers over the phone wires were a sign that a drug selling house was nearby...but given the 'hood I'd been in, that might apply to almost every one of them! The "beauty" of this particular stunt is that I've never seen anyone in the act of doing this.

[And the crappy gray skies are indicative of the rotten overcast weather we've been having the last two weeks. May gray/June gloom? Fine. Bring it. But it's JULY for crying out loud.] Taken 4th of July.

5.4 Earthquake - near Borrego springs

Hey, the earth moved again. This time I was talking with a friend via skype! Too bad I didn't have webcam, so he could have had the thrill too! Felt as far north as San Bernardino. Not an aftershock from the Easter Quake, so the TV people tell me. Happened just a little before 5p.m. PDT.

Tatoo or Birthmark - You Decide

For Mac - Absentminded Dumb Blond Moment 8,753

I can see how this would happen. Really.

Hint to Congress

King Zero wants to be able to kill internet at whim

Yes. That's right. King Zero wants the senate to help him pass a bill that gives him the ability for a "kill switch" on the internet for a period of 4 months on his whim without oversight.

Little narcissistic Marxist has a thin skin. What a surprise. I'm holding anyone who voted for this piece of dreck responsible. Anyone who votes this November for any congress critter who supports this measure is also a complete idiot.

From the article:

"President Obama will be handed the power to shut down the Internet for at least four months without Congressional oversight if the Senate votes for the infamous Internet ‘kill switch’ bill, which was approved by a key Senate committee yesterday and now moves to the floor.

The Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act, which is being pushed hard by Senator Joe Lieberman, would hand absolute power to the federal government to close down networks, and block incoming Internet traffic from certain countries under a declared national emergency.

Despite the Center for Democracy and Technology and 23 other privacy and technology organizations sending letters to Lieberman and other backers of the bill expressing concerns that the legislation could be used to stifle free speech, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee passed in the bill in advance of a vote on the Senate floor. "

Like a moth to a flame

....like a fly to ....

The earth moved (again)

Pretty good shaker near Ocotillo about 1:15 ago. Was cooking a late supper so didn't post just then. 5.9 Shaking lasted about 40 seconds here in San Diego. (about 70 miles away)

Lots of 3s and 4sies in the last hour - but can't say I felt any of them. (though I'm sure the people a lot closer did.

I love the particular website where you can check to see where earthquakes around the world are - and you can report whether or not you felt it, and how strongly you felt it. A little mood music for anyone who wants it.

Dumbest statement ever

"A lot of players don't like them [3 foot long toy plastic horns that go off at eardrum shattering decibels], but they are going to have to get used to them."
- Cristiano Ronaldo, midfielder, some World Cup team or other.

Uh, Cristo, WHY do you "have" to "respect them?" Is this a politically correct pass to some uncivilized 3rd world hell hole's "culture?" The FIFA head, whose name I forget, and don't feel like bothering to look up, said something equally as stupid.

Can we be blunt here? Subjecting people in working conditions [i.e. the players] to a condition which can damage their hearing permanently is inhumane. If these vuvuvenzuela blowing savages want to jump up and down and dance naked around their mudhuts, then so be it. But how hard is it to confiscate these damn things from people entering the venue? So help me, if I am ever put on a jury where someone is accused of shoving one of these things up someone else's backside, I would not vote to convict.

Hey, you vuvuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzela blowers, it's not all about you. Stop being attention whores.

How various religions cope with changing lightbulbs

* Charismatics: Only one. Hands already in the air.
* Pentecostals: Ten. One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.
* Presbyterians: None. Lights will go on and off at predestined times.
* Roman Catholic: None. Candles only.
* Baptists: At least 15. One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad.
* Episcopalians: Three. One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was.
* Mormons: Five. One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.
* Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, that is fine. You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.
* Methodists: Undetermined. Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Church wide lighting service is planned for Sunday. Bring bulb of your choice and a covered dish.
* Nazarene: Six. One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.
* Lutherans: None. Lutherans don't believe in change.
* Amish: What's a light bulb?

Helen, your Anti-Semite slip is showing...

Somewhere there's a village missing a witch with a capital "B."

Not surprising about the batty old broad. I guess she's just sad Hitler never got a chance to finish the job.

Update: DING-DONG -- Helen, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya. See ya, toots.

First Solemn High Mass - Fr. Rhone Lillard

Fr. Lillard was ordained in Lincoln, Nebraska last Saturday. Today in San Diego, at St. Anne's Parish (which exclusively does the EF form of Mass) Father Celebrated his first high Mass. I culled some of the clearest shots of the Mass and reception which followed. [Earlier in the week Father also said some of the low Masses. Towards the end of the slide show, Fr. is pictured with his mother, Jackie Lillard, who is a member of our parish.

Congratulations to Fr. Lillard and his friends and family and the prayerful support of the parish. I have yet to meet a priest belonging to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter who doesn't show extreme zeal and love of God and his people.
Fr. Gordon, was the deacon, and Fr. Gordon is celebrating his 2nd anniversary to the priesthood. The pastor, Fr. Gismondi, acted as subdeacon, and is shown at the end of the slideshow receiving a "first blessing" from Fr. Lillard. The pastor was formerly a chemical engineer, ordained for a bit less than 10 years, and the associate, Fr. Gordon, served in the US Coast guard, and was also has a degree in engineering from the CG Academy. God is loving His engineers!

The society is filled with men with true joy of the priesthood, and I expect Fr. Lillard will be no exception.

If any of you saw the dedication of the new Chapel for the FSSP seminary in Nebraska earlier this spring, Fr. Lillard had acted as the Master of Ceremonies. I gather the society is looking for a few good men! As Fr. Gismondi had said in a sermon "well, I thought I had plans to be a chemical engineer, but....God thought otherwise!"

Cow Parade

Meant to put these beauties up last June, but I finally whistled and the cows came home. These were lounging around Liberty Station in San Diego.

Introducing New GM 2011 model

The New GM (Government
Motors) Proudly Introduces The 2011 Obummer This car runs on hot air, bull-shit and broken promises. It has three wheels that speed the vehicle through tight left turns. It comes complete with two Tele Prompters programmed to help the occupants talk their way out of any violations. The transparent canopy reveals the plastic smiles still on the faces of all the happy owners. Comes in S, M, L, XL and 2XL It won't get you to work, but hey, there aren't any jobs anyway!

What's More Gay than a teletubby?

Just sayin'

Islam and the Good Ole Boy

....count me in....

Obozo's Mammy gets to stay

....auntie Petunia, or Zulema, or Zetunnnia, or whatever her name is. All I know is that she allegedly came in as one of those supposed Computer programmers we allegedly had a shortage of and has been living in FEDERALLY FUNDED WELFARE HOUSING since...was ordered DEPORTED in 2004....and has her hiney still here on every federal give away program.... But why gee, she kept her ass here long enough for her worthless good for nothing scum of a Marxist nephew to become resident, and now she's entitled to stay longer on Uncle Sucker's dime because she might be persecuted or whatever BS excuse she got away with.

These a$$holes in government have NO idea how far they will be thrown over a cliff later this year and in 2012.

Do you protest in front of the judge's house?

Story here, if you have the stomach for it. Meanwhile native born US citizens are losing their houses and jobs left and right and are on waiting lists....

And if I had the energy to laugh in the idiot's faces who voted for this clown because "Barack is a Messiah and will take care of us" I would. He doesn't even take care of his own relative, why in hell would he take care of them? The logic is beyond them.

That's what angers me the most. There will always be Marxist scum like Obozo around. But that there are enough seriously stupid people to have cast a vote for him in the first place. We've reached a critical mass of "stupid." Personally, I like to get in the faces of people I know who voted or were sympathetic to this jerk. "How's that dope with the chains workin' out for you? Any idea what he's going to destroy next, since you knew him and followed his career so well before you voted for the SOB [NOT!]"

Update: See this more detailed report in the Boston Herald. I love this pull quote:

“I’m naked! I don’t want to be disturbed,” Onyango barked at news crews from her fourth-floor flat."

A real winner! The whole Obama Klan is "naked."

NO Ex Post Facto Laws

What is it about the phrase "No Ex Post Facto" Laws the ZERO administration does not understand? i.e. You can't make a new law, and have it applied to something that happened in the past.

For instance -- if the law said: "If you speed at 80-100 miles an hour, your maximum fine will be 100 bucks." Then the max fine is 100 bucks. PERIOD. Full Stop. They can't say "Oh, well, that 100 bucks we charged you was too low...you owe us an additional 500 bucks." No even half-assed court in the land would put up with the NEW law applying to things that had happened.

Well, the ZERO administration is hallucinating that they will get BP to pay a lot more for the oil-spill than they are required by law to do so. Good luck with that, Skippy.

Yes, the max penalty for polluting like that WAS too low. Is that BP's fault? Uh, no. It was the US government's fault in the first place for setting the possible max penalty too low. Now you can make a NEW law saying "from X date, THIS will be the penalty..." But it clearly states in the Constitution "NO EX POST FACTO LAWS" (Article 1, section 9)

But then why should I be surprised? It's kind of obvious these people use the Constitution as toilet paper and none of them took high school civics.

Smiles

Don't usually pass these on, but....

"The liberals are asking us to give Obama time. We agree. We think 25 to life would be appropriate. - Leno

America needs Obama-care like Nancy Pelosi needs a Halloween mask. - Leno

Q: Have you heard about McDonald's' new Obama Value Meal?
A: Order anything you like and the guy behind you has to pay for it. - Conan
O'Brien

Q: What does Barack Obama call lunch with a convicted felon?
A: A fund raiser. - Leno

Q: What's the difference between Obama's cabinet and a penitentiary?
A: One is filled with tax evaders, blackmailers and threats to society. The
other is for housing prisoners. - Letterman

Q: If Nancy Pelosi and Obama were on a boat in the middle of the ocean and
it started to sink, who would be saved?
A: America ! - Fallon

Q: What's the difference between Obama and his dog, Bo?
A: Bo has papers. - Kimmel

Q: What was the most positive result of the "Cash for clunkers" program?
A: It took 95% of the Obama bumper stickers off the road. - Letterman"

Scenes we'd Like To See

She's an AIRHEAD

..uh, me, that is. <-- Apologies to Mr. Dolby.

Normally, I have ALWAYS kept my comment box opened and let anyone post willynilly - having had few problems with trolls. Well, late March, had problems with two jerks. (Hey, Fr. Blake, your British newspaper "reporters" aren't worth a nickle more than our so called American "reporters" who can't get squat right or attribute correctly, so gee, thanks! ;-D And BTW, I hope John Venables swings! -- okay that last bit was hyperbole. ) --

So I'd THOUGHT I'd turned on "just delay posts which are posted more than 10 days ago" thinking I could just manually nuke the two ba$$ard$ who were getting too out of line myself (i.e. still let anyone post, but just block anyone from posting to stuff that happened way in the past, as I didn't want to have to go back nearly 3 years incase one of these dorks took a shine to ruining things.]

Anyway, I've posted ALL your comments which were all delayed (which would explain a lot as to why "gee, why no comments?) And I'll go fix it now so posts aren't delayed.....unless "dorks" return, but this time I promise to always LOOK to see if anything's delayed.

Whatever. SORRY!!!!

Good news re: young people and sex

Though more college students are sexually active than not -- apparently in the last few years there is a trend on that's becoming more popular for students NOT to have recreational sex, and wait for "THE one." Evidently, many youths are seeing the devasting effects of casual sex - and don't like what they see. This column is well worth a read - it starts:

"There’s a quiet revolution happening on the nation’s school and college campuses. While the students still live in a sex-saturated culture, and while researchers claim that at least 75 percent of college students are part of the “hook-up” generation, more and more students are opting out of the sex scene. It is far too early to declare a new trend, but there are encouraging signs of a new respect for abstinence and dating, instead of recreational sex.

Part of the change of attitude and behavior comes from college students seeing the consequences and repercussions of recreational sex. "

The article notes statistical details of all the fallout students are seeing from their friends who ARE sexually active and are paying for it with incressed depression, low self-esteem from giving it all away to someone who doesn't care, to the STDs students are now frightened of getting --- and the article notes many new books which preach abstinence and waiting for marriage -- with a nod to more healthy dating patterns where one doesn't feel compelled to hop in the sack with every "relationship." The article further notes new "Love and Fidelity Network" outreach programs which espouse waiting until marriage and notes chapters on many US college campuses, including some 2 dozen or so on high profile Universities such as Harvard, Princeton, Notre Dame.

Even younger teens are also starting to get the message, from some in the popular culture - American Idol Star Kelly Clarkson recent had release a song called "I don't hook up." And there are others promoting the same -- there's even a facebook page: Bring Back Dating.

Well worth a read.

Skype!

Just got the thing (finally) and I'm setting it up now, so still going through the user manual. But my Skype ID name is: gemoftheocean99 [sheesh---there already WAS a GOTO! grrrr..... so remember to add the "99"]

And check out ring2skype.com -- FREE skype #s.

[Someone remind me to kick myself up the backside for not setting this up a lot sooner. I could have saved a boat load of money over the last couple of years!]

Everyone's Massah to this fool...

except, of course, the suffering American public. "Hey boy. Here's a quarter, geddown here and shine my shoes."

If they ever bring back Stepin' Fetchit, I have a likely candidate for the part. But of course, when he's with normal US citizens, zero always has his nose in the air, a la Mussolini.

I don't think he has a snowball's chance against a Chinaman. Was there ever ANY "president" so unversed in simple protocol? It's a wonder half the state department who deals with this sort of thing haven't committed suicide by now. "Listen, duffus. You are a head of state. Heads of state do not BOW to people. Sheesh. Moron. [How many years to retirement?]"

China's Gendercide

Peter Hitchens, reporter, wrote this article in the Daily Mail [UK] -- the article details not only the shortage of girls in the population, due to China's "one child per family" policy, but it also goes in to detail re: China's increasing problem of child theft.

The article starts:
"In the cruel old China, baby girls were often left to die in the gutters. In the cruel modern China, they are aborted by the tens of millions, using all the latest technology.

There is an ugly new word for this mass slaughter: gendercide."

The article states that China's one-child-policy started officially in 1979.

However, I personally remember that in at least parts of China as early as 1974, the government was encouraging/enforcing this. I remember that in Fall of 1974 when I was a college Freshman, writing an essay about the policy for an English class I was taking at the time. IT was the first I'd heard of it.

Unfortunately, in large parts of India, parents are also chosing gendercide. Not through goverment threats, but of their own volition. Quite some time ago, I'd seen a TV documentary which covered the phemomenon. Sleezy abortion doctors in their Mercedes Benz cars, pulling out their scanners in poor neighborhoods for relatively quite handsome fees to tell parents what sex the baby was -- then parents aborting if it was a girl.

There is also this article which is worth a read -- it goes into more details about India and China. [And it also confirms my 1974 date as to when the use of amniocentisis began to be used for this purpose of sex selection and gendercide.]

And there is also a recent article from the Economist, which points out that often the WORST gender imblance is in the WEALTHY parts of the country.

New Church for L'Aquila - Good Grief

Fr. Blake mentions that Fr. Z has a blog post re: a proposed new church for L'Aquila, an earthquake hit city. Fr. Blake doesn't like this building as a church, but thinks[!?] it is architecturally interesting. I think the architect is trying to "Epater le Bourgeois" myself. [Yes, I know there is supposed to be an accent over the first "E" in epater, so sue me.] Fr. Blake thinks it would be the architect's "signature piece."

Anyone who'd commission a building like this gets all the ridicule he deserves.
Los Angeles also is very earthquake prone. But here's what would happen to such a building in LA.


It's a "signature piece" all right.

Easter Earthquake

...always one thing or another. Was just about to post a Happy Easter blog post, then an earthquake happens. It was shaking a good 30 seconds before I thought to grab my camera and film. Big 7.2 down in Baja California. We knew it was big, *somewhere* - but just not here! [It would have felt totally different.] At first I just thought someone at the end of the banquet was being annoying and tapping their feet, and they were...and then I thought "yeah, but this thing I'm sitting on STILL shouldn't be moving this much." Then I looked up and the light fixtures were swaying and the walls and windows were definately rattling. But notice how calm everyone was, relatively speaking -- except one "drama queen" who reacted by getting up and walking slowly to be under a little more structural support. Chicken. At least no one did the tourist "dive under the table" thing.




Happy Easter to you all! AFtershocks and everything.

Good Friday

Yester-
day, on Good Friday, I accompanied some friends up to the Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, Ca. There are about 19 monks in all. No video allowed in the church while services are going on, but afterward I did take a few stills inside

And afterwards went outside to visit the little cemetery. The video below is a short 360 look at the area which is just to the south of the church -- at the end fo the short video that "bright area" just on the horizon is the Pacific ocean.



The Abbey, close to Camp Pendleton, is in a really dangerous area for fire, so the buildings reflect this -- cinderblock construction. The cemetery is really touching. The picture below show 1st Abbot Claude's grave. A simple wooden cross marks it, and there is no name on the cross, as there are on the ones behind his. My friend Michelle, who dearly misses him as her regular confessor, said "he probably wanted it that way." Abbot Claude was so self-effacing. He was nearly 100 when he died. You can read a little more about him here. The flowers on the grave are simple and "drought tolerant." You can see what the grave first looked like, here. Somewhat to my horror[?] and fascination, a huge black beetle like creature was moseying right on the Abbot's grave, no doubt looking for dinner.

Here below is another picture - with the Abbot's grave in the foreground and the ones of 9 monks behind it. It struck me that I'd at least seen all those monks in choir at some time or other -- and that eventually, the monks currently in choir, would one day be next to their brothers in Christ, with yet unseen monks taking their places.

The monastery was founded about in the mid-50s -- it's about as old as I am. The first time I laid eyes on it was in the Fall of 1974 -- during my first few week as a Freshman at the University of California, San Diego. I was taking an "easy" distribution requirement for me. Music History. And where does one start with the History of Western Music? The church! So off we went early one morning to hear the monks chant the office -- and we stayed for their kind hospitality of breakfast afterwards. So the public higher education system in California did more to teach me formally re: Gregorian Chant than my Catholic high school "Kumbaya - Michael Row the Boat Ashore" years did.

Over the years I've gone up during various times of my life, sometimes in crisis, often not. But their little mountain top is a testament to the balanced life they lead - Pray, work, and still take some time off for a little recreation. And I like that they all still work with their hands. The Benedictines seem to have the perfect balance.

All of God's creatures abound. I hope the little fellow below finds that Beetle and EATS it! [Lizards are GOOD!!!!] I've yet to see the snakes, but I've been assured they are "around."

And peace be unto all of you this Easter. I go up tonight again for the Easter Vigil.

Fr. Owl has especially trenchant post

...regards why the media is making a full force effort to shoot down the church. Take a look here.