On this date in 1439, a kissing prohibition was legislated by the English Parliament as a means of controlling the plague. (reference: Forgotten English, Jeffrey Kacirk)

Keep your tongues to yourselves people.

* Image from Wikimedia Commons

If what I read in the news today is to be believed, Obama has lost my vote.

(emphasis is my own)

CHICAGO - Reaching out to religious voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called for expanding President Bush’s program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — supported some ability to hire and fire based on faith. [Link]

I fully support groups that provide food, clothing, and shelter to those in need, but to make hiring decisions based on religious beliefs (or lack thereof) is pretty offensive in a country founded on religious freedom. Our founding fathers would surely be sad at the state of things today.

As most of you know I’m terribly fond of words and language. Rachelle knows this, and she gave me a Forgotten English Page-A-Day Calendar way back at the beginning of the year.

I am pleased to share with you the calendar footnote for June 25, because I think it’s topical and an interesting concept that is still practiced today in Neopaganism.

Guid Nychburris,

a fair whose name meant “good neighbors” was held in late June in Dumfries, Scotland. Its medieval origin is steeped in a tradition of helping quarreling citizens reconcile their differences. John Sinclair’s Statistical Account of Scotland (1791) alluded to this gathering as a venue for another friendly custom: “At that fair, it was the custom for the unmarried persons to choose a companion with whom they were to live till that time next year. This was called handfasting. If they were pleased they continued together for life. If not, they separated and were free to make another choice.”

Let’s talk about the upsides:

• Imagine how this could solve many of our societal marriage challenges (and I’m not referring to gay marriage - I’m referring to divorce rates, sham marriages, Las Vegas marriages, 24 hour annulments, Pam Anderson’s marriages, domestic violence, etc.).
• It’s basically like a trial marriage…you have a boyfriend/girlfriend for a year, live together, see how it all works out, and then openly and honestly determine if it’s for the long-term. If not, no hard feelings, just move on to the next hottie in town.
• Many relationships fail after people move in together, because that’s when you’re really put to the test of being able to tolerate another person in your space. This handfasting process would give you the test, and if you fail, you’ve only got to wait until the next festival to try again until you pass.
• Handfasting provides the ability to have same gender coupling, or even multi-partner coupling for those who wish to have more than two people in their family (reference) - very progressive

So what are the downsides?

• You’ve got to wait a year, even if you know after a few days, or a month, that it’s not going to be a long term relationship.
• If you fool around on your chosen handfaster, that’s likely not going to bode well the next time you go to the party :-).
• Constant moving! I don’t know about you, but I hate moving. I don’t even like moving offices at work. Boxing up your life every year and moving to someone else’s house, or having them move into yours would be disastrous if it’s only for a year. Bring on the U-Haul.

I’m sure there are many more upsides and downsides, but I’m interested in what YOU think about this interesting festival…

* Image from Wikipedia

Tonight we went to sushi with Rachelle and Kim - it was the last dinner with Ra before she moves across the country.

On the way to the restaurant, we needed to make a right turn and Rachelle was about to turn until she realized that a woman to her left was coming across the intersection and had the right of way.

So I, in the back seat, said, “Yeah, she’s got the ROW, the Right Of Way“.

And David, sitting to the left of me said…wait for it…”Yeah it’s ROW vs. WAIT“.

Laughter ensued, and within moments Rachelle was literally in tears from laughter. She laughed the entire way to the restaurant.

David is pretty funny at times.

BTW: if you don’t get it, try saying what David said out loud and see if it rings a bell.

Well, ok, not everyone, but the cool people at least :-).

Show your support for our troops with this GLBT themed shirt.


What’s better than a “Yeah, Right” mug for those early mornings of bitter coffee? Go ahead…sit at the kitchen table with your house pants / night gown on and just stare out the front window with your cigarette in one hand and this delicious coffee mug in the other. Share your bitterness with the world.


Everyone does it…

Say it loud and clear that you love yourself, because if you don’t, no one else will.

You have one. Everyone knows it. That’s why they don’t talk to you, because they know you’re going to blog about it as soon as you have connectivity.


Halloween is year-round fun.
Check out the full suite of Hellaween Products.


For all you gossip girls out there - just make sure you stop talking when they get close.


Let’s just admit it…because the rest of the world already knows.

I realize that he’s just doing it to prove a point, but I really do like some of the quotes from the story:

The senator also wants the court to issue a permanent injunction prohibiting God from issuing plagues and terrorist threats. It’s unclear how this could work since God is usually understood to be all powerful.

Chambers does admit that God is omnipresent and omniscient, however. Since God is everywhere, the Nebraska court has jurisdiction, Chambers argues, and since God is all-knowing, Chambers need not serve him with a notice of the lawsuit.

Brilliant. I hope he wins. Or maybe he just needs some Jesus bandages to take away the pain.

You might recall I wrote about suing god (and suing someone for praying for your soul, or praying for your death) recently.

A few weeks ago I posed a question on whether you could sue someone if they prayed for your soul. (check that post out first then come back and visit here)

Yesterday, the latest copy of Freethought Today arrived, and I discovered an interesting “Theocracy Alert” that I wanted to share.

Pastor Calls for Death Prayers

A pastor [Rev. Wiley S. Drake] who endorsed former Gov. Mike Huckabee for president via church stationery and an Internet radio program is calling on followers to pray for the deaths of those who filed a complaint against him with the IRS.

…

Examples of imprecatory prayer suggested by Drake:

“Persecute them…Let them be put to shame and perish…Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.”

So now what do you think? If someone is praying for your death vs. just a little soul enlightenment, could you at least get a restraining order against them?