Visions make it all seem so cruel

That's the title of Pepe Escobar's latest column in the Asia Times online. I love this guy. He's part psychedelic, part blogger, part newsman from long ago. Gritty and real, that's Pepe Escobar. He has a regular column at the paper. It's called "The Roving Eye". If you haven't checked him out, here's your chance. It's a far-roving article about the Hopi, Navajo, American exceptionalism, Bob Dylan, spirituality and, of course, Mitt and Barack. Makes great Sunday reading.

Lightning for your Sunday

And no, St. Vincent doesn't really look like that. Gutsy thing for a pretty woman to do on her album cover, eh?

Game-show religion

Egypt's ancient Coptic Christian church chose a new pope in an elaborate Sunday ceremony meant to invoke the will of God, in which a blindfolded boy drew the name of the next patriarch from a crystal chalice.

They wanted Vanna White to do it, but she was busy.

Rudy Giuliani solidifies nitwit image

The former mayor, who also ran for president in 2008, pivoted to Romney's business experience, saying it should be considered a strength and blasted Democrats for making it a target on the campaign trail. 

"They tried to humiliate him because of that. You know something, if Governor Romney can have the success for America that he had for Bain Capital, Thank God! Our people would be working again," Giuliani said, referencing Romney's former private equity firm. 

This guy is such a twisted character. When I worked in NYC government, my boss once told me to rush to City Hall to join a meeting with Rudy. I said, "Absolutely not. Fire me if that's what you have to do but I will not be in the same room with that man." I skipped the meeting and wasn't fired. To think of breathing the same air as Rudy Giuliani! Ugh.

Great NYT story about child prodigies

This issue is dear to my heart. What could be more fascinating than brilliant children? Here's my favorite excerpt:

On his way to kindergarten one day, Drew asked his mother, “Can I just stay home so I can learn something?” Sue was at a loss. “He was reading textbooks this big, and they’re in class holding up a blowup M,” she said.

Is that great, or what? Go read the whole thing. On the other hand, it's a rather long article (7 pages). If you're not willing to spend that much time reading, here's one more excerpt:

After the English lawyer Daines Barrington examined the 8-year-old Mozart in 1764, he wrote: “He had a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles of composition. He was also a great master of modulation, and his transitions from one key to another were excessively natural and judicious.” Yet, Mozart was also clearly a child. “Whilst he was playing to me, a favorite cat came in, upon which he immediately left his harpsichord, nor could we bring him back for a considerable time. He would also sometimes run about the room with a stick between his legs by way of horse.” 

Isn't that a marvelous image of Mozart? The article concerns itself with raising such a child. If this interests you, dig in at the above link. I loved it.

Xmas Carol is available everywhere

It took a while but Xmas Carol is now available pretty much everywhere. Even Barnes & Noble has it. (They were late to the party.) So if you've got an ereader, you can go to your favorite bookstore and pick up a copy of Xmas Carol for a mere $2.99. You can't beat the price, and the book is a ton of fun. G'wan. You won't be sorry.

BTW, I've come to realize that the best way to read the book on an iPad or iPhone is to install the Kindle Reader app, and buy the Kindle version. It looks better on-screen and shows more text. Just saying.

And now for something completely different

As ImmortalSlipper said in the comments at YouTube:"Was getting bored with music. Then this came out." I like it. Alt-J: Something Good.

What religion needs is dogs

I am greatly disturbed by people who lose their family in calamities like Hurricane Sandy, and then go up to a microphone and say "God is good!" Indeed. That's exactly why god killed your children -- because he's "good".

Why does god bring hurricanes and tidal waves and fires and earthquakes to places where innocent children live? Because he's "good". Priests, pastors and rabbis say "We cannot understand god's motives, but since he is god and is all good, we know that there is a positive reason for these seemingly tragic events." That's not a real quote. They all say the same thing, so I just mashed one up. Let's face it: that's what they say, and it stinks.

Religion wants you to sit there and take it, and still praise the god who allegedly caused your torment. This is called "faith".

Today, it finally hit me. Who thinks like that? Dogs, that's who. You can abuse a dog, even fail to feed it -- and it will still love you, given the opportunity. You are god to your dog. You can do no wrong. This is the attitude religion seeks in its followers. You must be like a dog, always sure of who your master is, and always loving and loyal, no matter what the monster does to you.

How can anyone believe in god?

Hey, I just noticed something

When I saw the date today, I realized it's my blogiversary. I've been a blogger for two whole years. This amazes me. The time zipped by, almost without notice.

So let's see. In this two-year span I wrote 1,451 posts. That's over 700 per year, which translates into nearly two posts per day. As to the value of the posts, that's up to my readers.

Writing this blog been a hell of a lot of fun. I think I'll do it forever.

The Russian church-state nightmare

Chills went up my spine as I read this NYT article about the collapsing line between church and state in Russia. That something like this can happen in the year 2012 is shocking. But humanity's nonsensical craving for an authoritarian god will always come to this -- unless rational people guard against it (ahem) religiously.

Alas, in Russia it seems two megalomaniacs have come together in a most unholy way: Putin and his "spiritual father". Seriously, read this and worry. It can happen anywhere, even here in the U.S. In fact, we have GOP loons aiming for this very thing: a communion between government and religion. Shudder.