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Virally-obsessed academic mom posts on diverse topics, including viral topics (of course), daily activism, progressive faith, American fringe religious movements (esp. Jehovah's Witnesses), literature and poetry, humor and other bits of contemporary
Recent Posts Tagged With 'activism'
Roundup of JWs in the News
Recent conversations in the comments have reminded me that I haven’t done my posting of recent news related to Jehovah’s Witnesses. The purpose in doing this is simply to highlight, over time, the kinds of issues that the JW mindset and s...
CIA Recruit Toy for 5 year olds?
Is a CIA Recruit Training Kit toy really necessary? Really? I was in a toy store picking up a few things for our son’s birthday tomorrow, and when I saw this, I just had to catch it on camera. Does anyone think that the CIA is all about playi...
Aerial Hunting of Wolves
Sarah Palin enthusiastically defends the cruel practice of shooting wolves from the air. Palin has proposed legislation - and even cash incentives - to encourage this practice. She offered aerial hunters a state payment of $150 for every wolf killed ...
Obama is President
The audience wanted to celebrate but it was a stern - and brilliant - inaugural speech. I watched it in my office break room. It wasn’t my first choice for a location, but at least I got to see it with other people. Aretha Franklin! Yo-Yo Ma! A...
Buy John’s Book
I have been seriously remiss in my intellectual (and wifely) support! I haven’t even urged you to buy, read, and comment on hubby’s book - The Allure of Machinic Life: Cybernetics, Artificial Life, and the New AI (Bradford Books, MIT Pres...
They
Do you see what I see? “They” is the voice of inauthenticity. Courage is required to know and to be yourself - but it’s the only way to live with truth and authenticity and richness. It’s the only way to thrive. Click to vi...
You Can Dance if You Want To
Joy to you this Christmas Day - everyone, everywhere! Click to view video addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.virushead.net%2Fvhrandom%2F2008%2F12%2F25%2Fyou-can- dance-if-you-want-to%2F'; addthis_title = 'You+Can+Dance+if+You+Want+To'; addthi...
Photo
Wow - thanks for sending, Peggy! Click for full image. addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.virushead.net%2Fvhrandom%2F2008%2F12%2F14%2Fphoto%2F '; addthis_title = 'Photo'; addthis_pub = ''; ...
Countering Westboro Demonstrators with Love, Love, Love
The Westboro Baptist Church group was stationed in Atlanta at the corner of Chamblee Tucker Road and Henderson Road, a block or so from the church where the funeral was being held. Their signs said things like “God Hates You,” “Amer...
Westboro Baptist Church Coming Here?!? Oh no.
This letter was forwarded to me as part of the neighborhood watch. Dear Embry Hills Family, Many of you are already aware that Embry Hills is scheduled to be a picket site for the Westboro Baptist Church on Saturday, December 13th. The picket...
Universal Light Award
I am pleased (and a little floored) to be among the very first recipients of the Universal Light Award! I created this award to honor those sweet souls that share the light. Love and light to you. I have received several awards from some of my favo...
Yeah, I called it!
I’m ecstatic today! Happy happy joy joy! Thanks to Vance for reminding me in the comments that I had predicted Obama’s presidential win in July four years ago after his speech at the Boston Democratic Convention. Barack Obama - An Amazing...
I VOTED!
One more Georgia vote for Barack Obama! Woo-hoo! Ben’s school was closed today, so I took some time from work and we went to the other little elementary school, where we vote. We went over at a little bit before 9:30 AM. The before-work voters ...
Halloween Hate, but a Better McCain
If Ever the “Trick” Option Should Apply…. This one burns me up. It’s really just a small item, but to me it is symptomatic of a larger trend. I have been watching the transformation of Halloween by certain sectors of pseudo-Ch...
Revamped for the Election
Too bad I couldn’t find the custom canines, but I think the fangs are clearly implied. I am so very happy that I can celebrate such things. Jehovah’s Witnesses and other groups who can’t find the spirit in Hallowe’en are re...
Calculate your Tax Savings
See your tax cut under Obama’s plan, and compare it to the McCain plan. “Obama is not proposing to raise taxes for most Americans. To the contrary, he would triple the earned-income tax credit for low-wage earners, increasing work ince...
Remedy for A Curmudgeonly Mood
When I find myself in a curmudgeonly state, I listen to episodes of StoryCorps. I used to listen to it on NPR’s Morning Edition on the way to work on Fridays, but my car radio doesn’t work anymore. Now I listen via podcast. I honestly don...
Amendments on the Georgia Ballot
In Georgia, it is always an especially wise thing to do to pay close attention to the other items on the ballot. Don’t ever be fooled by the wording, but dig into what it really means. If you know anything about state and local government here,...
Powell Will Vote for Obama
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has announced that he will be voting for Sen. Barack Obama. The seven-minute video is worth watching. Click to view video ...
Disturbing Lies, Hate, Incitement to Violence
I’ve been profoundly disturbed by seeing certain kinds of beliefs and accusations that I’m observing - not only from under-informed folk at rallies, but even from so-called christian blogs and in emails from people who should really know ...
Haunted by Buzzer
I give up. I can’t get the song “Buzzer” out of my head. It’s been days now, and despite my attempts to put it out of my mind it’s affecting me at a deep emotional level. It’s not unusual for me to have a song runn...
The War Prayer
Disgusted by the aftermath of the Spanish-American War and the then-current Philippine-American War, Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) wrote The War Prayer in 1904. It was considered too sacrilegious and provocative for the times. Twain agreed to...
Credit Contraction Thoughts (and a question for you)
There’s been a lot of discussion about the causes of our current financial crisis. I, for one, do not ever care to hear the Wall Street/Main Street framing again. Really, is that the best we can do? Have we no sense of language? The “cre...
Fact Check
FactCheck.org has a great analysis of the debate last night. Here’s just the Summary for a quick perusal - but you really have to read the analysis: Obama said McCain adviser Henry Kissinger backs talks with Iran “without preconditions,” ...
The First Presidential Debate
I had signed up to rate the debates at “Rate the Debates,” because it was billed as getting a jump on the pundits. I was hoping that this would serve as a pulsepoint. I’m disappointed that the survey was more about the moderatorR...
JWs in the News
Antonie Dixon’s sister gives evidence in court When Antonie Dixon told the jury an astonishing tale of sexual abuse by his mother and beatings at the hands of Jehovah’s Witnesses, they must have wondered whether any of it was believable. ...
A Touching Summary
Wow - fantastic video. Americans - do not despair. How You Ended The War Related Posts:Sat December 8, 2007 -- Olbermann on Bush, Cheney, and the Iran NIE (2)Wed July 25, 2007 -- Halliburton and KBR in the News (7)Mon May 21, 2007 -- Indecent Bible?...
Traitor… Dare Call it Treason
Thanks to Mike H. for sending this! It has a nice swing. “Traitor (Dare Call It Treason)” by The Cornbread Mafia He acts real dumb but the act isn’t fooling me He gets things done to destroy our sovereignty He’s a servant of ...
MLK was not, I repeat, was NOT a Republican
The National Black Republican Association has paid for Florida and South Carolina billboards that show a photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. and claim that he was REPUBLICAN. That’s a claim that really takes some nerve - or desperation. Could ...
Camilo
Camilo by State Radio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BkvRnUZJys “Woke him up with a barrel to his head His eyes shut tight bracing for the blow Resigning his life to the metal held In another man’s hand Twenty days in a concrete fallou...
