Why I can't eat beef anymore.

If you can eat a puppy, you should have no problem eating this animal. I never thought I'd say this, (being such a fan of steak and home-made beef jerky) but after seeing a movie called "Go West" (1925) with Buster Keaton where he is followed around by a baby brown cow named "Brown Eyes" who looks identical to this cow, I saw what I was eating and decided to stick to fish and the occasional bacon or prosciutto for my meat intake. You see, though I've seen "Babe" and the animated "Charlotte's web", I cant get over the fact that pigs will eat humans if given the chance. Ham is not too good for you as it takes days to digest, but a quality bacon or prosciutto shouldn't be too hard on me.

Cell-Phones and why they suck.

The year I was born cellphones were released. The ones with suitcases were the first. Now our "handy dandy" cellphones are easily hooked onto our ears and fit discreetly hidden under women's hair. This creates the illusion that they are talking to themselves or schizophrenic. What an appealing concept. I don't care what anybody says but unless you're a doctor or a drug dealer, you don't need a cell-phone, or a pager. It astounds me that people (most likely including yourself) will pay an extra bill a month, risk getting brain cancer, and getting into car accidents for the sake of a ball and chain, bought solely for everyone else's convenience. Now you can get guilt tripped when you don't pick up the phone because the person calling you knows it's on you. I like being able to live my life and come home to get free messages. Sure they're handy if you're having an emergency, but think about it, how many cellphone conversations have caused accidents, and how many have saved lives? Not to mention the cancer risk they have been found to cause. I saw a Buddhist Monk the other day on a new cellphone, he also had oakleys on. Another lady came through my line at the grocery store and I thought she was saying something to me until she said "girl" in reference to the person she was speaking to, on her hidden cell-phone. Another guy I saw at the bank was holding up the line beacause while the bank teller was trying to help him he just kept talking on his stupid phone and held his index finger upward to the woman behind the counter. Honestly people, if you're planning on multi-tasking to the point of blatant ignorance of your fellow man in front of you, you shouldn't own a cell phone. Annette and I saw a middle-aged couple at a bagel shop and the whole duration of their meal consisted of the wife talking on her phone while her husband ate in silence with his head down. I only pray that someone famous like Oprah starts bashing cell-phones, or someone like the president gets cancer from one. When the men of America noticed that President Kennedy never wore hats, they were practically erased from our culture. Now all you see are baseball caps and beanies. So why not cell-phones? Maybe instead of wasting all of our money we can get back to treating each other like we are humans.

pride comes before a bird smashing into your face.

Some people don't think God has a sense of humor. My argument? look at Fabio, with his long illustrious hair, surrounded by women escorts dressed in greek costumes, riding a roller coaster. life just couldn't be better for Fabio. Its like he's a greek god flying with his hair blowing through the wind. There was also a goose flying that day. I honestly think God looked down that day and felt the need to remind us of the verse "pride comes before a fall."

How does a true Christian respond to terrorism?

If you believe in the Holy Bible, you believe in 1 thing of many.
That we should not live in fear of man.
Muslims are people, maybe not the most peaceful, harmony-loving people on earth, but they are people. Matthew 10: 28-29 reads, " Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, Rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both the body and soul in hell." Last time I checked, men didn't have that power, no matter how radical, or weapons-equipped they were. There, are too many Christians today, who's fear of Muslims, communists, or liberals is a sign of a weak faith to non-believers around them. What would really happen if Muslims took over our country? (mind you, they'd have to be quite the dashing and persuasively political type, the type to embrace all of our nation's diverse, and contradicting beliefs.) If Muslims took over our country in another more militant way, what would happen to the true Christian church? would it crumble? or would it be in a sense purified through trials and dangerous risks instead of Christianity further becoming a social preference, homogenized and perverted by individualism, lesse-faire capitalism, and ear-tickling televangelists who sell "success" rather than challenge the body of Christ to drop their personal ambitions and live altruistically. The Body of Christ in our country would become like the small, risk taking groups of believers in other countries who are murdered daily for their belief in Christ. I'll tell you one thing, you'd know who was really a Christian and who was walking the fence. Fear not. "Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." this verse in scripture doesn't mean we should be naive about the world's problems, or ignorant about their solutions, it means we should not forget that this world is not our home. Yes I believe it is definitely our responsibility to vote as biblically as we can and our duty to change the atrocities and affronts to humanity's future such as abortion and the careless disregard for the environment and the poor. But we should remember that God is not dead. He is still in control, and we as Christians need to have faith that (if it truly lies deep in our souls) cannot be whisked away by any force of man.

This is what Musicians look like.

Notice how they look strangely like people!
They can laugh, dress comfortably and though you may not see them on the cover of today's latest rock magazines, they are incredibly talented and down-to-earth musicians who enjoy what they do. Musicians speak to their fans through their music, not through some photo shoot. I've personally met Grandaddy, and most of Tortoise. I admire their originality and their personalities as bands and as people. these bands are like actors who don't call themselves "movie stars". They aren't sorrounded by groupies and bodyguards. If you have talent you don't need all the hype and image to be a great band.

Pictured below: Tortoise, Grandaddy, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Neutral Milk Hotel.

This is what puppets look like.

Notice the pouty faces, or the expressions that don't
make any sense or say anything except "we are too-cool" to too jaded to smile. I particularly love how "Bono" from U2 is obviously not really screaming and actually just opening his mouth wide for a photographer who must have been trying pretty hard not to laugh.



These "artists" look like they're in rock bands, they don't look like people to me. Atr least not people you could have a down-to-earth conversation with. These bands are all about image. I know everyone loves U2, and they are all about the humanitarian thing, but can you really say someone who changes their name to "the Edge" doesn't have an ego issue?

smoking vs. thinking

If you're not already addicted to drugs, cigarettes or alcohol, stop and think before you start.
There are a few sensible questions most people don't ask themselves before making long-term mistakes with drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

1. Is there anyone you know who's had any good happen to them through any of these ?

2. Have you ever heard someone talk about trying to quit something that wasn't bad for them?

3. Do you favor the notion of paying your hard earned money (over many years) for something that will kill you slowly and sometimes painfully? (unless you die instantly from a drunk-driving accident or a drug over-dose)

4. Do I want to subject my loved ones to the possibility of me prematurely dying?

5. I can always quit the habit if I try hard enough, but can I quit a disease that my choice might cause?

6. Do I want to live a life of feeding harmful impulses? or live with a conscious mind and a healthy body?

7. What kind of parent do I eventually want to be? Would I want my kids living like I am?


Smoking :The fact is the air is polluted enough already without you paying to breathe filthy air directly from a cigarette as well as pollute more air for others around you. It changes your voice, kills your taste buds and makes you stink.

Drinking: It's not Drinking exactly that's a sin, Its gluttony. Personally for me I don't drink because it doesn't interest me, and I've seen it create a lot of problems for people I know and I've seen no real good has come as a result of it's use.

Drugs: People are stupid enough in this country without pot being legal, Imagine if it was. That's my main reason I'm against its legalization. As for the people who claim drugs make them "more creative", Drugs only make people numb to the fact that they aren't creative.
There's no point in becoming addicted to something that you're not already, and to any school kids in Jr. High or High school, it might seem like a crucial period in life where everybody else's opinion matters and everyone has to prove themselves. The fact is High school is full of impressionable kids who'll blindly do what they think everyone else is doing. There attempts to fit in through fashion or substance abuse only makes them more un-original. Be yourself, the best way you can do that is to have a clear head and a clean conscience, and people will respect you for it.