ruminations and ramblings on life, the arts, the world, politics and politics in the arts by a republican actress
"If you're not a liberal when you're 25, you have no heart. If you're not a conservative by the time you're 35, you have no brain." falsely attributed to Winston Churchill, but so true!
I'm in the market for a new laptop, since mine seems to be on its last legs. And, as always, prior to a major purchase I do my research; and though I haven't quite settled on which one to buy (it has to be good for my photography) I decided to check out the Sunday advertising inserts today.
So, I'm checking out Best Buy and smack dab on the front page, right on top of the "Shop Thanksgiving Day at BESTBUY.COM" is Happy Eid al-Adha. Odd, methinks, since nowhere does it say Happy Thanksgiving, just shop Thanksgiving Day.
Happy Eid al-Adha? On a Thanksgiving Day advertising circular? Now, I thought Eid ended the month of Ramadan, but it turns out Muslims celebrate 2 Eid festivals. This one occurs after the completion of Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca). This year it is celebrated from November 27th through November 30th, though the dates fluctuate from year to year.
Interesting how things have changed, of late. Now, I'm pretty open-minded and I have no problem with being inclusive of other religious holidays, as long as it doesn't co-opt the original one, like Tyson Farms attempted to do with Labour Day and Eid al-Fitr, the other Eid holiday.
And since when do companies start honoring the lesser known holidays of the major religions of the world? They don't even honor the well known ones. Anyone seen Happy Diwali (Hindu) on a Best Buy insert? And forget any of the Buddhist holidays.
It just would have been nice to see Happy Thanksgiving somewhere on the insert, considering the sale is a Thanksgiving Day sale, not an Eid al-Adha sale.
Blazingcatfur has asked to let y'all know about the Infidel Blogger Awards 2nd Edition.
Here's your chance to vote for your fave infidel blogger. From our Canuck cousins up North:
The "Georgies" are Back!
We hope to build on last year's enormously popular effort to recognize the very best in Non-"Canadian Human Rights Commission" approved blogging & punditry and of course further our goal of offending the Kommissars of the Human Rights Kult and their politically correct enablers in the MSM, Judiciary, NGO community & Government.
Thank you once again for your support of the "Georgies". Remember free speech & blasphemy are your rights, exercise them and have yourself some good old-fashioned Offensive Fun!
This year's categories are listed below, click the link and make your nomination in the comments for each respective category. Nominations will close Nov. 18th. Voting will commence on Thursday Nov. 19th and end Tuesday November 24th with the winners announced Wednesday Nov. 25th.
NB: All categories are open to your International Favourites save for "Best Overall Canadian Infidel Blogger" .
On this day, I thank not only our Veteran's but those that are serving today. Because of our military we enjoy many freedoms that others do not. We should not take that for granted, nor should we abandon our Vets when they return home, some broken physically and mentally. We need to reach out to them in whatever way we can. Get involved with Veteran's groups, or organizations trying to help. They need us, especially during these trying economic times. And your help doesn't need to be monetary, go visit a a soldier at a hospital, help pack a care package for deployed troops. It doesn't take much.
I will be posting on some organizations that help, in the future. Sadly many have gone bust, but there are still some that exist.
From my heart, I send prayers and thanks to all our soldiers!
22 years ago, on June 12, 1987 Ronald Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate, in West Berlin, and challenged Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin wall. His now famous words
"Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall"
turned into reality a little over 2 years later.
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, an historic occasion which Obama has chosen not to participate in, because apparently he is too dang busy. Of course, he wasn't too busy when he was campaigning to make a grand appearance there, but I suppose that was different. At the time, he was trying to win hearts and minds of the American people and the rest of the world, but since he won the presidency he doesn't have to work so hard. It's actually rather shameful considering what tearing down the wall symbolized.
So, 20 years ago the Wall was torn down and with that came freedom for the East Berlin Germans. Ironically, though the cold war ended several years later, it's been replaced with another war, one far more terrifying because the enemy has no moral compass. At least with the communists there was the whole issue of MAD (mutually assured destruction). There was never really any fear (at least for me) that they would actually attack us. Islamists, on the other hand, would love nothing more than to destroy us and our western ways. And there are no borders. Their terror is not relegated to one region. It is global and far reaching.
As for freedom, we are no longer free. Islamists have constructed an invisible wall, that we have helped to build through our PCness, that may not be so easy to knock down. Our freedom of speech has been drastically reduced. People fear being called Islamaphobic, so they keep their mouths shut. People fear offending, so they censor themselves. The director of 2012, Roland Emmerich, scrapped a scene (where the Kaaba in Mecca was to be destroyed, along with Rio's Christ The Redeemer) because he feared a fatwa. And it's not just the Islamists; conservatives in this country are not free, either. If we criticize Obama and his leftist policies we're called racists and other nasty things. At least we're not killed for our criticism.
It's incumbent upon us to make sure that we don't allow others to infringe upon our freedoms, by fighting the good fight. Tear down the shackles of bondage and let freedom ring!
Take the Spiegel Berlin Wall Quiz for fun. Click here.
5 year-old Noah Biorkman is dying of Neuroblastoma cancer. He has been battling it for almost half his young life. He loves Christmas cards and since they don't think he has much longer to live, his mum is celebrating Christmas early, and has requested cards or letters for her little boy.
I checked this on Snopes, and it is for real! It's something one needs to act upon now, before it's too late. Mrs. Biorkman is friends with the a.m. DJ on Michigan radio station WKSR and sent an email with the request.
Christmas Cards Requested Posted on November 04, 2009
Christmas will come early for a five year old Michigan boy this year. Noah Biorkman is battling cancer and is not expected to live much longer. Noah’s mother and WKSR morning personality Ed Carter went to school together years ago. They keep in touch by email. She mentioned the early Christmas for her son in an email to Ed today. Mrs. Biorkman is asking for Christmas cards for her son. If you would like to take time to send a card or letter, send it to: Noah Biorkman 1141 Fountain View Circle South Lyon , Michigan, 48178.
I'm a working actress, writer, artist. I'm also a somewhat-moderate Republican, although I haven't always been. In my youth, I was out there demonstrating with the best of them. I even voted for Jerry Brown in the California primaries. I might even have voted for Jimmy Carter (God forgive me if I did), but then I grew up! Saw the Light, so to speak.
I wish I could be open about my politics, but in the Arts one has to remain close-mouthed because they do blackball those with ideas contrary to their own.
I would be considered a moderate, of sorts, because I'm a proud member of all my Unions: AEA, SAG & AFTRA and though I'm not sure what I think about unionizing Pizza Delivery drivers, I do believe the Actor Unions are very important. I also tend to be pro gun control. Perhaps someday, if and when I give this all up, I'll finally have the courage to proudly proclaim "I'm a Republican and proud of it!".