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airport security, Benedict XVI, Catholicism, condoms, economics, Entertainment, foreign policy, GOP, Iowa, Justin Bieber, Kyl, life in the meadow, Russia, sex, social class, START treaty, teabaggers, terrorism, TSA, wealth
Whenever your darling asks you to sup with him “on the town” and the restaurant is named “La GGG”, all I can say is beware.
GGG, in case you were unaware, stands for Gas, Groceries and Good Eats. I can assure you, they are lying about two.
Recently the Contrarian invited me to Chez Troy Store Restaurante for lunch. Ahh, we went in and sat down, finding the seating ample, (no one else was there) and took a seat overlooking the corn field.
Out rushed a cook, (I should say, the cook) and announced: “Oh we don’t serve until 3 now, economy and all. But I can get you pizza or fried chicken or a sub?” Two of those come from those display cases that keep the food warm with lightbulbs. We demurred and walked across to the Dam Bar (yes that’s what it’s called) and ordered the usual saloon fare: something fried or deeply so.
So, it should come as no surprise when last night in the middle of Nature, I cried, “oh damn!”
“Whaaaa?” the Contrarian started from his dozing, muttering, “I am not sleeping, just resting my eyes!”
“I forgot the pearl onions for Thanksgiving!”
“Can I get them at the Troy Store?” he queried.
Yes, he actually said that, asked it, I mean.
With a look of utter disgust, I pouted, “NO, you can barely get an onion there.”
“How ’bout at Sherbon’s? I could run over there,” he offered.
“No, no, she won’t have any either.”
Sherbon’s is a step above Troy, having no gas station and not purporting to offer dining pleasure, but it’s a long way off from being a GROCERY store too.
“How ’bout Center Point Store?” he whimpered.
“No,” I sighed, “they won’t have them either. It’s hopeless.
There was no offer to drive all the way to Cedar Rapids of course.
Such is life in the meadow. You either remember or you do without. I will sure miss my carmelized pearl onions though. Send me some if you can ship it FedEx overnight, okay?
***
I guess I’m doing an about-face on the whole patty down at the airport thing. I still think it’s mostly silly whining perpetrated by testosterone-laden young men and old ladies whose junk is so old that nobody would want to if they didn’t have to, touch it.
But I heard an argument that made some sense. He (unknown speaker on MSNBC) suggested that it’s good we are questioning just what we are willing to give up in the name of “terrorism.” This is a good conversation, proving we are not so insanely scared that we are hiding in our holes, only coming out with full military protection.
Perhaps, he asks, we might start questioning all that stuff about unauthorized wiretaps, waterboarding, and all those other dark and evil practices that we kinda figure are going on but about which we really would rather not know. There’s a point there I think. I later found the same argument here.
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The Pope, Benedict XVI is very busy backstepping his way out of the “condom issue.” Some saw some slight movement in his latest remarks that in some cases, such as male prostitution, it might be allowed, as a step in “taking responsibility”. Today the Vatican is claiming that there is no change at all in the position of the Church as to condom use. I suspect that is true. If the fiasco over the pope’s comments about condom use while last in Africa, didn’t bring about a change, then I suspect nothing will.
Odd, how all those who have tons of advisors to, well, advise them, still cannot avoid the sticky wicket. Spiritual Politics has their own take here. If you want to know more, (and you probably don’t) go to Enlightened Catholicism.
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The bad the worse and the ugly, i.e., the GOP continue to stonewall on the START treat ratification. Editorials across the land, the support of dozens of old line GOPers and revered State Department and Military leaders from of old, have failed to move, so far, one Sen Kyl from AIR-headZona.
One wonders how long the GOP is willing to take the heat to promote their only real goal: the downfall of Barack Obama. Crooks and Liars has a nice post, featuring a roundtable held by Christiane Amanpour.
***
Thomas, at Living Next Door to Alice sends us a must read post from 3quarksdaily. It’s about us, politics, and our doom. While we play at politics, the rich are taking this country for themselves and leaving us to be their servants. We are coming to be a permanent underclass. And that can only lead to one thing.
***
But if the above article is too long, well, this next says basically the same thing and in just a couple of sentences: Justin Bieber was the big winner at the AMA awards last night, beating out Usher. The world has ended, you just haven’t heard the explosion yet.
***
There be times I wish I had me one of them big balls that you do stretching on. But I’d sit on mine as I read Internets. ‘Specially when I read about da stoopid Rethuglians and their being pulled mightily in two directions at once. The FC’s (fiscal conservatives) vs the SC (social conservatives) are trying to direct the old party hacks who give a damn about neither. Priority One-McConnell and Don’t you dare touch my junket Boehner, are being stretched over the fence and, well, personally instructed to do their respective biddings. And I’d be bouncing on my ball, sippin’ my soda, and giggling.
Related Articles
- Pope Ignites Debate Over Condoms (deaconforlife.blogspot.com)
- Pope says some condom use can be justified (feministphilosophers.wordpress.com)
- Bishops say Pope still anti-condoms for HIV – The Australian (news.google.com)
- Obama Pushes for Showdown on START Treaty (littlegreenfootballs.com)
- Showdown Over START (politicalwire.com)
- Obama finds support for arms treaty at NATO meeting (thehill.com)
Existential Ennui 
I know it’s kind of weird for an ex-Catholic to defend the Pope- our traditional role is to snipe from the sidelines- but I think I know what he was getting at, he just used a ridiculously poor example to demonstrate it. If the intent is to prevent infection, it’s okay; if the intent is to prevent conception, it’s not. Whether contraception is good or bad is a separate debate, but what he said is at least consistent.
In other news, a columnist for the local paper suggested the TSA share the X-Rays with our doctors. I’d go along with that. 🙂 I still think we should be able to take public transportation without getting felt up, but the government wants to do it, so they will, and most people will go along with it as docile as cows.
So it goes.
Thomas I don’t think he meant that at all. The really big one is married couples where one is HIV positive. There is no change in the refusal to allow them condoms to prevent spread of the disease. It’s purely unconscionable as I see it. How this upholds marriage is beyond me.
I’m still partially thinking that all this TSA stuff is silly. It’s done with a lot less crap in Europe. We want safety but as usual want to pay no price. But I’m willing to remain open minded that there are better ways.
yes. it is ALL about how to get rid of Obama. how sad is that?
I hope that the public can see this, but I fear it will not. They never seem to get it, they never pay attention except to the loud mouths.
It’s sad indeed.
(1) Anyone stop to think the TINY Minority of ‘Terrorists’ (ALL They want is US out of Their Lives, Their Culture, Therir Land) are helping US Make thne biggest Fools out of ourselves, with Pat Downs, scanners, New Technology?
(2) Advertising selling Media has a field day twisting Anything against the Pope, or the Catholic Church Ads Sell.
(3) ‘Enlightened catholics’ are not very enlightened. They have their own agenda, and tip-toe around carefully in trying to justify themslves. Everuy act of Married sex is NOT to beget a baby: One of the Bizarre gross misrepresentations.
Tony, I agree that is a great point. The more we focus irrationally on safety, the more the terrorists win. Finding the balance is the key. I assume we are not yet there.
Well Tony, as to the condom issue, I got my information directly from Catholic news orgs, like Zenit. There is no controversy about what he said, only about what he meant. The Vatican contends there is no change really. I am sad if that is the case.
As to Enlightened Catholicism–everyone has an agenda, the left as well as the right. I agree with that. I think we all agree that sex is not merely for procreation. that hasn’t been the official positiion for some time.
Great post. As far as pat downs and feel ups … I heard one statement about how the US should stop the intrusiveness of these security measures – that we wouldn’t need them if the CIA were doing their job right. HILARIOUS. If the CIA does its job “right” you can (or can you) imagine the intrusiveness that would follow? I still do not get the hysteria over this issue. I just don’t.
And, keep it up Repubs – after two years of your nonsense, the disillusioned and intelligent will finally be fed up with you.
Yeah SDS, I’d be concerned inf the CIA were the bellwether for doing it right!
We are so sick of watching the news and having the TSA crap every night. I agree, why all the hysteria? I truly think people are just plain angry and taking it out on any available easy target.
If they bog down the Thanksgiving travel, they hurt who? only themselves and fellow travelers.
pearl onions???? do you find them in prairie oysters?
You hockeypuck!Hey we go out with a basket every day and collect cow pucky to burn to keep us warm. And I sweep the dirt floor real good once a week.
gees……just askin’, atz all! 🙂
Haha Jimmy, Just testing to see if this reply by email works. Here goes!
On the TSA, it’s overkill. While we must recognize the threat, we have a greater chance to be struck by lightning twice than we do of being killed in a terrorist attack. If we allow our fear to fundamentally alter our day to day lives and adopt the stance of a police state, the terrorists have already won.
Tom, I suspect that is true, still I find it odd as some others are that the right is taking up this issue when they are the folks who are so security concious. Smells like another one of those, “any way to screw Obama” things to me.
I registered to this forum only to reply to this thread, and I would like to saythanks for making it. It might not make sense to you, but it does to me, and I felt I needed to leave a comment.
amazing post you have created
Thanks so much and do feel free to comment for or against whenever the desire strikes. We like good conversation where we can learn things.