OK, Ladies...(the annual beg...)

I've only read three or four of your posts, Ken, but they've
stirred up some sixty-year old memories that have always been a little
unsettling for me. The first involved a bright kid in our squadron who
had no capacity for equilibrium in his life and it was a torment for
him. He solved his problem one night by going outside our quarters
into a little guard shack and, .. Putting a .38 in his mouth took the
top of his head off. Guys were dropping like flies, but for some
reason that one seemed even more senseless and bothered me for a number
of years. He came from a good family, (his father was a dermatologist)
and he had a lot of potential. Unless you're getting a lot of
enjoyment from your views, I'd recommend you try to bend just a
little. Seeing both sides of an issue is the sign of a mature mind.

In article ,
irate says...
Bill Claspy opines:

And, don't forget the reason for the season.

Winter solstice!


He is the
reason for the season.

Ummm, Dave, you might want to look up the history of X-mas.
"Christmas" trees, yule logs, mistletoe, etc all were being
celebrated long before the christians decided to try to take
over the holiday. What most people celebrate is close to
the original pagan holiday.

Besides, it's Santa Claus' birthday.
- Ken

In article ,
irate says...
Bill Claspy opines:

And, don't forget the reason for the season.

Winter solstice!


He is the
reason for the season.

Ummm, Dave, you might want to look up the history of X-mas.
"Christmas" trees, yule logs, mistletoe, etc all were being
celebrated long before the christians decided to try to take
over the holiday. What most people celebrate is close to
the original pagan holiday.

Besides, it's Santa Claus' birthday.
- Ken

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote



Send your donations to:

Forty's Psychiatrist Fund
c/o 'Lil Wayno's Outfitters and T Shirt Emporium
Greensboro, North Cackalacky

and thank you for your support.

--
Ken Fortenberry

support, indeed. and, to ease your troubled mind, remember: we never
close.

wayno (cash or bank checks, please)

wrote in message
oups.com...
I've only read three or four of your posts, Ken, but they've
stirred up some sixty-year old memories that have always been a little
unsettling for me. The first involved a bright kid in our squadron who
had no capacity for equilibrium in his life and it was a torment for
him. He solved his problem one night by going outside our quarters
into a little guard shack and, .. Putting a .38 in his mouth took the
top of his head off.

not even close. forty's been functioning for at least five years with
the top of his head off. courtesy of a combination of wild turkey, james
mcdonald roberts, and dawn in north carolina.

wayno

wrote in message
oups.com...
I've only read three or four of your posts, Ken, but they've
stirred up some sixty-year old memories that have always been a little
unsettling for me. The first involved a bright kid in our squadron who
had no capacity for equilibrium in his life and it was a torment for
him. He solved his problem one night by going outside our quarters
into a little guard shack and, .. Putting a .38 in his mouth took the
top of his head off.

not even close. forty's been functioning for at least five years with
the top of his head off. courtesy of a combination of wild turkey, james
mcdonald roberts, and dawn in north carolina.

wayno

On 16 Dec 2004 22:37:38 GMT, irate (Dave LaCourse)
wrote:

Bill Claspy opines:

And, don't forget the reason for the season.

Winter solstice!


The Bible doesn't say when Christ was born, and while it is true that the
winter solstice was chosen, it is NOT the reason MOST people celebrate the
season. We celebrate His birthday, whether you like it or not. He is the
reason for the season.

Most Biblical scholars say it couldn't have been anywhere near the
winter (N of the equator) solstice. They figure probably spring some
time.

If the Passover weren't so well dated and the New Testament didn't
indicate that the death and resurrection were together with it, I'd
think that Christmas and Easter should be the other way around. What
more appropriate (especially in English or related language) than the
return of the Sun and the Son? What more appropriate for spring than
the birth?

Most CHRISTIANS celebrate Christ's birthday. Almost all other
religions, old and new, that are much written about and in the
northern temperate zones have or had some sort of special observance
at that time of year. The Solstices were unequalled in all non-urban
(every race / creed at one time) groups in their power to affect
people. Even urbanites are capable of noticing that it nights get
longer and the fresh fruits and veggies either aren't around or aren't
local.

Traditions of some kind that long predated Christianity in our rather
Euro-Centric world were practiced. Many of them similar to the ones
which have grown to cluster now around Christmas. Now spending large
amounts of money has been added. It's okay.

BTW, I advise skipping the book, "Skipping Christmas". It was
assigned for our book club this month (a non-meeting month) and I
faithfully read almost half of it. John Grisham is generally a good
writer, but that was all I could handle. So I skimmed the last half.
It made me think of an attempt at something literary based on the
Griswold Family Christmas movie. It sucks. I'd sooner re-read all
the gun threads I've ever seen on rec.backcounty and here than ever
read it again. The characters were less loveable than ROFF on a bad
day. The premise was mildly interesting, but only mildly. The plot
got pretty badly stretched in some spots so "humor" could be forced
in. The very few episodes with real sentiment were overshadowed by
the, still few, episodes of deliberate schmaltz.

If you want to read something that will inspire you to contribute to a
food bank or homeless housing, try his book, "The Street Lawyer",
which will tell you why you might want to give a little more. Except
for the dramatic opening, it seems to be a realistic clue on what
happens to the fringes who can't make it into our idea of normal
society.

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

On 16 Dec 2004 22:37:38 GMT, irate (Dave LaCourse)
wrote:

Bill Claspy opines:

And, don't forget the reason for the season.

Winter solstice!


The Bible doesn't say when Christ was born, and while it is true that the
winter solstice was chosen, it is NOT the reason MOST people celebrate the
season. We celebrate His birthday, whether you like it or not. He is the
reason for the season.

Most Biblical scholars say it couldn't have been anywhere near the
winter (N of the equator) solstice. They figure probably spring some
time.

If the Passover weren't so well dated and the New Testament didn't
indicate that the death and resurrection were together with it, I'd
think that Christmas and Easter should be the other way around. What
more appropriate (especially in English or related language) than the
return of the Sun and the Son? What more appropriate for spring than
the birth?

Most CHRISTIANS celebrate Christ's birthday. Almost all other
religions, old and new, that are much written about and in the
northern temperate zones have or had some sort of special observance
at that time of year. The Solstices were unequalled in all non-urban
(every race / creed at one time) groups in their power to affect
people. Even urbanites are capable of noticing that it nights get
longer and the fresh fruits and veggies either aren't around or aren't
local.

Traditions of some kind that long predated Christianity in our rather
Euro-Centric world were practiced. Many of them similar to the ones
which have grown to cluster now around Christmas. Now spending large
amounts of money has been added. It's okay.

BTW, I advise skipping the book, "Skipping Christmas". It was
assigned for our book club this month (a non-meeting month) and I
faithfully read almost half of it. John Grisham is generally a good
writer, but that was all I could handle. So I skimmed the last half.
It made me think of an attempt at something literary based on the
Griswold Family Christmas movie. It sucks. I'd sooner re-read all
the gun threads I've ever seen on rec.backcounty and here than ever
read it again. The characters were less loveable than ROFF on a bad
day. The premise was mildly interesting, but only mildly. The plot
got pretty badly stretched in some spots so "humor" could be forced
in. The very few episodes with real sentiment were overshadowed by
the, still few, episodes of deliberate schmaltz.

If you want to read something that will inspire you to contribute to a
food bank or homeless housing, try his book, "The Street Lawyer",
which will tell you why you might want to give a little more. Except
for the dramatic opening, it seems to be a realistic clue on what
happens to the fringes who can't make it into our idea of normal
society.

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 19:16:58 GMT, "Larry L"
wrote:


wrote

, God
takes from you and gives to me. ........................................
...............................
, God takes even more from you and your kind, and
gives even more to me and mine.


Over the course of many decades I've decided that the propaganda about " God
created Man in His image." is wrong and in fact, the reverse is true. Men
create their own gods, and in their own image

This is useful information, because it so clearly explains .... in some
cases ..... how god can be such a prick

Oooh, you're in trouble now, boy...God is gonna get you for this bit of holiday
blasphemy...and He has NO sense of humor...but it does remind me of a joke:

A NYC cop was on his horse waiting to cross the street when a little girl
on her new shiny bike stopped beside him. "Nice bike", said the cop, "Did
Santa bring it to you?" "Yep," the little girl said, "He sure did!"

The cop looked the bike over and handed the girl a $5.00 ticket for a safety
violation. The cop said, "Next year tell Santa to put a reflector light on
the back of it."

The young girl looked up at the cop and said, "Nice horse you got there sir, did
Santa bring it to you?" "Yes, he sure did," chuckled the cop.

The little girl looked up at the cop and said, "Next year tell Santa the prick
goes underneath the horse, not on top."

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 19:16:58 GMT, "Larry L"
wrote:


wrote

, God
takes from you and gives to me. ........................................
...............................
, God takes even more from you and your kind, and
gives even more to me and mine.


Over the course of many decades I've decided that the propaganda about " God
created Man in His image." is wrong and in fact, the reverse is true. Men
create their own gods, and in their own image

This is useful information, because it so clearly explains .... in some
cases ..... how god can be such a prick

Oooh, you're in trouble now, boy...God is gonna get you for this bit of holiday
blasphemy...and He has NO sense of humor...but it does remind me of a joke:

A NYC cop was on his horse waiting to cross the street when a little girl
on her new shiny bike stopped beside him. "Nice bike", said the cop, "Did
Santa bring it to you?" "Yep," the little girl said, "He sure did!"

The cop looked the bike over and handed the girl a $5.00 ticket for a safety
violation. The cop said, "Next year tell Santa to put a reflector light on
the back of it."

The young girl looked up at the cop and said, "Nice horse you got there sir, did
Santa bring it to you?" "Yes, he sure did," chuckled the cop.

The little girl looked up at the cop and said, "Next year tell Santa the prick
goes underneath the horse, not on top."