Nostalgia

Watching Presidents Clinton & Bush on Fox News Sunday talking about their Haiti relief project - waaah, I so miss having W in the Oval Office. I felt that he truly loved America and was committed to protecting and preserving it the WAY IT WAS, instead of trying to turn this country I love into something I barely recognize. The United States is the greatest country in the world, and it makes me flaming mad to see #44 traveling the world "apologizing" for us. In addition to that, his stubborn and arrogant push for legislation which espouses such un-American ideals, even as the majority of Americans are loudly saying "NO!" - it just makes me weep with sadness and anger. I just hope too much irreversible damage* isn't done before November 2010, when I am sure that the voters will elect a conservative Congress. And #45 cannot come soon enough. The American voters, like The Who, won't get fooled again!

*By "irreversible damage", I'm mainly referring to the part of this health care atrocity which stipulates that it cannot be changed or overturned by a future Congress. Seriously guys, doesn't that scare you? That kind of stuff doesn't belong in United States law. What is going on in Washington under this administration eerily resembles what we left in England (at best - I don't think I need to say what else it reminds me of) not the wonderful democracy that we're supposed to be.

Disclaimer: I'm just venting - it's my blog and so I can do that. Let's not have a fight in the comments - you're not going to change my mind any more than I'm going to change yours, okay? Okay.

Michael Jackson dies at 50 - RIP

My local news is reporting that Michael Jackson has died after suffering cardiac arrest this evening. Despite the controversy later in his life, I always thought that he was absolutely a musical genius - probably in the top few of all time. He was a trailblazer - ahead of his time - and was one of the most fantastic performers I have ever seen. Maybe it was because I grew up to a soundtrack that included a lot of his music (and lost sleep when I was little due to the Thriller video) but everything that has happened surrounding him in recent years made me sad, in a strange way. (Disclaimer: Not that I condone messing around with kids, if he was guilty.) And the news of his passing leaves me with that unusual heavy heart that I always feel when a celebrity dies who had been in the pop culture cloud surrounding my life for many years. I can't judge anyone's heart and don't know where he stood with the Lord, but I do hope he sought forgiveness in Christ before it was too late, and that he is at peace now.

American Idol and such

Disclaimer: I'd appreciate it if everyone would refrain from bashing me a la Carrie Prejean (Miss California). This is my blog, my opinions - if you don't like it, don't read it. That is all.

So, I think that Adam Lambert will be okay (and by that I mean that he'll have labels knocking down his door) whether he comes in 1st, 2nd, or 12th. On the other hand, Kris Allen needs to win in order to end up with a good debut album - so I'm going to have to watch the finale with Team Allen tonight. Although I'll be surprised if it isn't Adam Lambert who sings the Idol Cheeseball Coronation ballad at the end of the show, eyeliner-flecked tears being wiped away by black polish-tipped fingers. Not that he doesn't deserve it - dude has an awesome voice, and he did very well last night. I think, though, that the voice is only part of his "Google popularity", discussed in this article: American Idol Winner: Can Google Predict the Results? (from mashable.com). Some of the Googlers may have been looking for those infamous pictures of Adam kissing other fellas. Personally, I would prefer to see Kris win - he has the talent, and he seems to be a nice guy, with morals and values that mesh well with my own - and he has a cute family, too.

There was an article published within the past week or so - in Time, I think, and after spending about 10 minutes trying to find it so I could link it, I decided y'all could live without a link. Anyway, the article discussed the Christian element in the Idol voting process, particularly this year, when we have a married Christian who is active in his Arkansas church versus a flamboyant, black/blue/purple haired (lighting dependent), guyliner & nail polish wearing, poured-into-his-leather-pants contestant from the liberalist of the liberal Los Angeles, California.

There are a lot of things about this season that remind me of Idol's season 2 (which I'll admit, with a modicum of embarrassment, as being my most-studied season by a mile - and I know way too much random trivia about it. Shut up.) First of all, we have the Rubenesque (by that I mean "large" as well as "as it was with Ruben Studdard") tongue-bath that the judges give Adam each week (I remember reading Television Without Pity faithfully during that season, when the fantastic recapper Shack would sum up Ruben's critique something like this: "RANDY: Vote for Ruben! IRRELEVANT GUEST JUDGE: Vote for Ruben! PAULA: Vote for Ruben! SIMON: Vote for Ruben!") Which was funny, because, you know, it was true. And apparently America followed like sheep, because Ruben obviously won that season* (where is Ruben, anyway?) while Clay Aiken, the effeminate coverboy for Lisa Simpson's Non-Threatening Boys magazine, had to settle for second. The judges constant instructions to vote for Ruben played a role in his win, but there was another big reason, as I know from living through that season as a ridiculously huge, and ridiculously obvious, Clay Aiken fan [what do you want from me? His voice is flawless, he's a fantastic performer, and listening to him sing still makes me smile - People covers notwithstanding. If I had to agree with a celebrity's lifestyle before I would allow myself to be entertained by their music/movies/television shows, I'd be able to listen to Toby Keith and the guy who sings Butterfly Kisses (I stole that quote from someone, but I can't remember who) and watch Facing the Giants and Fireproof (both of which I liked, but a DVD collection consisting of two movies?)] Multiple people that I encountered on a daily basis assumed Clay Aiken was gay - and therefore they didn't like him, wouldn't let themselves like him, liked him but couldn't reconcile voting for him, or something similar that resulted in not calling his phone line that week. I believe if he hadn't been so "ambiguous", and had given us a different impression, he would have won easily.

It will be interesting to see that if, six years later - with actual photographic proof that Adam Lambert is either gay or at least, doesn't mind smooching around on guys - America looks past that and votes for him based on his talent only. I have to say, since I believe that my beloved country is headed in a very wrong direction, miles and miles from the ideals outlined in my even more beloved Bible, and quickly - I'll be a little sad to see Kris come in second. To me, it will show how things have changed in six years - while American Idol is a singing competition, of course, the contestants who get the farthest also resonate with the voters with their personalities, their values, their backgrounds, their similarity to the rest of us. Clay Aiken didn't quite resonate well enough in 2003. In 2009, has the "rest of us" changed to the point that Adam Lambert does?

* Incidentally, this also works in presidential elections. See Obama, Barack.

P.S. - GleeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEE! Loved it so very much. If you didn't watch it, go watch the pilot here: Full-length Glee pilot on Fox.com. Seriously, isn't Don't Stop Believin' one of the best songs ever ever ever? It makes me want to run out and achieve a dream or something. And I can't wait to see the group sing Kanye West and Jamie Foxx's Gold Digger (promised in the upcoming season montage at the end of the episode, a wee montage which is supposed to hold us over until new episodes begin airing in the fall. Bah!)

Now, I consider myself an animal lover, but ...

... it's about time the government put some protection in place for researchers, so that they don't have to worry about loony-bird PETA activists flooding their homes with garden hoses or putting information about them and their family members all over the internet.

From the LA Times blog:

New Protections For Animal Researchers

California lawmakers have adopted new protections for animal researchers. Patrick McGreevy reports from Sacramento:

On Friday, three weeks after firebomb attacks on UC Santa Cruz animal researchers and months after vandalism at a UCLA professor's home, state senators unanimously approved an emergency measure to strengthen laws protecting academics against violence and intimidation.

It would create a new misdemeanor charge for entering residential property of an academic researcher with the intent to intimidate or interfere with research.

The measure also would make it a misdemeanor to publish information on the Internet that describes an academic researcher or his or her family members, or gives the location of their residence with the intent that another person use the information to commit violence or make threats.

...

The home of a UCLA researcher incurred more than $20,000 in damage after being flooded by animal-rights activists who inserted a garden hose into the house. An incendiary device destroyed a car outside the home of a UC Santa Cruz researcher and a firebomb exploded nearby on the front porch of another researcher's home.

The attacks are believed to have been orchestrated by activists who regard the use of animals in research as inhumane. Lawmakers say the targeting of academics in such ways is intolerable.

The thing is, humans are just inherently more valuable than animals. I love my sweet and fuzzy kitty cats, and that Sarah McLachlan ASPCA commerical with "Angel" playing in the background rips my heart RIGHT OUT, but I still believe humans have more value (it's because we were created in the image of God and all, and animals weren't.) Not that I think animals should be abused for fun or any such thing (I'm looking at you, two guys from my high school who used to spend weekend nights running down animals for amusement) but if it's a question of, "Should animal research that will ultimately benefit humans continue?" then the answer is yes.

And for goodness sakes, leave the researchers alone. I shudder to think what a setback it would be to have your entire lab destroyed.

This guy was obviously about to listen to Glenn Beck

Behold, Kasey Kazee, the Duct Tape Bandit, who attempted robbing a liquor store in Ashland, Kentucky:

Ah, the many uses of duct tape. I'll bet pulling all of that off hurt. Ouch.

Sad day

I'm really shaken up by this Virginia Tech shooting in Blacksburg - Scott would have been there a couple of years ago (not in that particular building, but on the campus), and my heart is just in my stomach. Seeing those familiar buildings on Fox News is really disturbing - those kids just got up this morning and went to class, like I have done on so many mornings, and now they're dead. So sad.

When I heard about it, I went straight to Scott's lab and hugged him - I see no reason to go to a high-caliber university; a competitive, presigious residency; a big city - I'm happy here in my relatively safe, small town, where I can do a lot of good as a physician, and where Scott and I can do a lot of work for the Lord as a couple.

My heart goes out to the families and the community of Blacksburg, Virginia and Christiansburg. Love and prayers to you. And nothing but thankfulness and praise for my Lord, who has kept my family and loved ones safe in such a dangerous, evil world.