Freedom From Choice

AMERIKA, 2006 - Families no longer have the right to choose how they will treat illness - the government feels you are too stupid to make choices about your own health.

A Virginia judge, at the request of a social worker, reviewed the case of a 16-year-old boy with lymphoma, who was seeking alternative treatment after months of chemotherapy made him terribly weak.

After a two-day, closed-door trial, the boy was ORDERED to continue with convential treatment, and his parents were found NEGLECTFUL for allowing their son to forgo the recommended treatment and seek an alternative that included an organic, sugar-free diet.

Is anyone else DISGUSTED by this? This kid couldn't even walk after his first round of chemo, which nearly killed him. He didn't want to experience this again, but now his parents could risk losing custody if they don't force him to accept treatment he doesn't want.

Welcome to Amerika - land of the sheep, home of the slave.

Abraham's Page: http://www.abrahamsjourney.com/

CBS News Story: http://tinyurl.com/ejkp7

Alternative News Story: http://www.newstarget.com/019617.html

Fame & Fortune

I submitted my lightning shot to KVBC News, and it found its way to their web site home page yesterday! I'm just sitting and waiting now for the offers to start pouring in. Click on the photo to make it bigger.

Autographed prints are available ($500).

Lightning Fishing

Last night brought one of the biggest thunderstorms we've seen around here for some time. Lightning lit up the house, and the accompanying thunder woke me from sleep, kept Hannah awake late, and had Murphy barking almost non-stop for what seemed like an eternity.

One of my favorite things to do during lightning is take photos. So last night, while Murphy was barking, and Hannah was nervously waiting for the storm to end (Eva was sound asleep through the whole thing, and Patti was nest-feathering), I got my camera and tripod and headed to the large bedroom windows upstairs.

Hannah saw me and was very curious why, in the midst of this horror, I would be preparing to take photos. So she came and sat with me, in the dark bedroom, and watched as I attempted to catch the beautiful flashes of light. She even coined a phrase for it: "lightning fishing."

Over the next hour or so, we waited for the "big ones," checked the digital screen after each exposure (sometimes with "oooh!"s and "wow!"s), and talked about many things. I think, over the course of our "fishing trip," Hannah's fear of the storm turned to wonder and excitement. I think too, that it helped her to see nature's fury as something to respect, but also as a thing of sublime beauty.

Maybe she'll take her own kids "lightning fishing" one day.

In case you're wondering how to shoot lightning: I put my camera on a tripod, set the shutter to an exposure of 30 seconds (the shutter is open for the entire 30 seconds, recording everything that happens during that time), and set the aperture between f/8 and f/16. Click the shutter release, hope that some great strikes happen during the 30 sec. exposure, and wait!

"Funhouse" Fun

Most people reading this, if they are Saturday Night Live fans, will probably agree that the one consistent bright spot in the show is Robert Smigel's "Saturday TV Funhouse." It's the one thing I, and probably most other "modern SNL" viewers, look forward to every episode.

A recent show was a special devoted entirely to the Smigel segments. I know it was a repeat, and I remember seeing part of the show during a previous airing, but every one of the short segments was worth watching, and worth watching again... from biting political satire, to a poignant Christmas episode, to the just plain bizarre "Anatominals."

"Saturday TV Funhouse" ranks right up there with "South Park" for smart, witty, slightly subversive animated entertainment. The "Best Of Robert Smigel" DVD from SNL will definitely be a must-have.

Foothill Valedictorian suing CCSD over "free $peech"

A local high school senior recently gained national attention by going "off script" during her Valedictorian remarks, and telling all gathered for the school's 2006 commencement ceremony about her faith in God and Christ.

When I first heard the story, I was on her side. I thought, "Yeah... there's a kid who's not afraid to 'buck the system' and stand up for what she believes."

But then I read a letter to the editor of a local paper, written by the mother of another Foothill graduate. She expressed her sadness that a day she should have been celebrating the achievement of her child, she was made uncomfortable and the event (and her memory of it) was forever marred because of this girl's selfishness.

She agreed to deliver the "edited" version of her speech, even signed her name to a statement that she would stick to the "agreed-upon" version. The speakers were told that if they deviated from their scripts, their microphones would be cut. Pretty black and white, right?

So she lied, saying she would say one thing, but fully intending to say another. According to the other mother, the Valedictorian felt compelled to ARGUE with school officials once her mic was silenced (admittedly, this is the first time I've heard this, and only from this one source; I'm still inclined to believe it). So not only did she lie, but when she received the warned-of reaction, she showed tremendous disrespect and arrogance.

Today I heard that her family is pursuing a lawsuit against the school district, and they have enlisted the aid of the "Rutherford Institute" - called by the media a "non-profit conservative legal foundation," which is code for "Christian legal bulldogs."

I'm all for free speech, and expressing your views, but she SIGNED HER NAME, GAVE HER WORD, that she would not deviate from her speech. How much classier, and how much more effective would it have been to preface her speech by this:

"Honored guests," (or however they begin these things now) "I had a speech prepared, which I submitted for approval from school board officials, and I received back an edited version that I found unacceptable. It is therefore my decision to remain silent for the duration of my time allotment, and I hope that my distinguished audience will understand and respect my decision."

And then just stand there for five minutes.

I guess you could argue that the preface is, in itself, a deviation from her script, but I find something along those lines far more palatable than purposefully misrepresenting yourself and ruining the event for hundreds of other graduates and families. It's just damn selfish!

Perhaps this was all part of the plan... she knew her mic would get cut.... she knew she could cry "freedom of speech" and maybe have a case on her hands... this kid was the frickin' valedictorian, for crying out loud...

they don't give that different-colored robe and the big hangy gold thing to the dumb kids.

You seek Yoda...

How's this for a spectacular gift? My good friend Sean, probably the most talented man I know, has graced our "game room" with a huge (4 ft. x 4 ft.) portrait of the venerable Jedi Master himself. Receiving it has inspired us to start filling the walls of our home with posters, paintings, and whatever other art we have laying around.

A recent trip to Sean and Becky's house also proved inspiring - they have probably the coolest house around. I'm struggling to remember one square inch that isn't covered with Disney memorabilia, family photos, vintage movie art, toys, action figures, or more of Sean's incredible artwork. We got home from their place, took one look at our boring white walls, and decided we needed to get to work!

Sean just launched a web site featuring his work: http://www.artofscjones.com. He also may be persuaded to do a fabulous mural in your home or work place, so hit him up before you can't afford a "Jones."

Thanks, Sean!