Monthly Archive for December, 2006

what in the…?

Published
by
Shelly
on December 30, 2006
in Religion/Spirituality
. Closed

Burial woes in the Graham family.

Ruth Bell Graham, wife of minister Billy Graham, is seeming to be pretty close to meeting her Maker. She wants to be buried in the North Carolina mountains, near where she raised their kids, by a small chapel near The Cove in Asheville. Naturally, she would like her husband to be buried next to her. One of their sons, Franklin, would rather bury them in Charlotte, at a memorial “library” being built by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), which Franklin heads. Their youngest son, Ned, disagrees and wants to respect his mother’s wishes.

Also in agreement with Ned is family friend, crime novelist Patricia Cornwell…

Cornwell toured the building site and saw the proposed burial plot. She was asked by Ned, who opposes Franklin’s choice, to come and give his father her impression.

“I was horrified by what I saw,” she tells Billy, in the presence of a reporter invited to be there.

The building, designed in part by consultants who used to work for Walt Disney Co., is not a library, she says, but a large barn and silo — a reminder of Billy Graham’s early childhood on a dairy farm near Charlotte. Once it’s completed in the spring, visitors will pass through a 40-foot-high glass entry cut in the shape of a cross and be greeted by a mechanical talking cow. They will follow a path of straw past multimedia exhibits. At the end of the tour, they will be pointed toward a stone walk, also in the shape of a cross, that leads to a garden where the bodies of Billy and Ruth Graham could lie.

Throughout the tour, there will be several opportunities for people to put their names on a mailing list.

“The whole purpose of this evangelistic experience is fund-raising,” Cornwell says to Billy Graham. “I know who you are, and you are not that place. It’s a mockery. People are going to laugh. Please don’t be buried there.”

Billy Graham’s eyes never leave Cornwell’s face as she talks.

“It’s a circus,” Ruth says at one point, softly. “A tourist attraction.”

Ruth’s wishes?

“My Final Wishes Concerning My Burial Site” says, in part: “Since it is impossible for me to be buried at my ‘first home’ in China, my next choice is the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina which I have loved and where I have lived for the past 60 years.”

A number of years ago, the document continues, she and Billy “agreed that we would be buried together near the chapel at The Cove. The Memorial Garden at Chatlos Chapel was prepared for that very purpose. My final wish is to be buried at The Cove. Under no circumstances am I to be buried in Charlotte, North Carolina.”

I think the answer is a simple one: respect her wishes and let her be buried where she wants to be buried.

“well hung!”

Published
by
Shelly
on December 30, 2006
in News and Views
. Closed

Some commentary on the hanging of Saddam Hussein

So when will those who are still alive who were part of the US administration at the time of SH’s killing spree be arrested and tried for being accessories to mass murder? Never? Sigh.

happy/merry whatever ;)

Published
by
Shelly
on December 24, 2006
in Random Thoughts
. Closed

cherry mistmas 2006

(Me, circa Christmas 1982. Yep, I used to be a little blondie.)

happy festivus, suckahs!

Published
by
Shelly
on December 23, 2006
in Random Thoughts
. Closed

As it’s well after midnight on the east coast, it is now, officially, my favourite non-religious “holiday”: Festivus. Know what that means? Time to air some grievances!

* * * * *

Political Grievances
George W. Bush ~ Of course, this was a given for me. But I mean, really. Classifying information up the wazoo (including the death counts of US soldiers since September of this year), his continual living in a state of denial in regards to how it’s going in Iraq, refusing to fire Rumsfeld until after the Dems took back the House and Senate, ignoring the Iraq Study Group,….err, I could go on; but I’ve got other grievances to air out. ;)

Dick Cheney ~ Don’t you know how to use a shotgun? Good lawd.

The people of Canada who sent in a Conservative minority government ~ I sincerely hope you all were still high when you were voting. I mean, I know your faith in the Liberals was waning; but did you really have to let the creepy marionette doll come to power? Porn mustaches–especially New Democrat ones–are much, much sexier, IMO.

Canadian Liberals who supported Michael “Iggy” Ignatieff, and who thought Stephane Dion would never become leader ~ Ha! Seriously, though; you oughta know by now your fellow Libs are into guys who can speak both official languages fluently and aren’t into three-dollar words…and guys from Quebec. After all, Dion’s the third Quebecois Liberal leader in row.

Tom DeLay ~ Jackass when in the House. Jackass with his new, shiny blog!

Religious Grievances
The Religious Right Trifecta of Dobson, Falwell, and Robertson ~ You all are still sirens; don’t get me wrong. But really? After that whole Ted Haggard thing? I thought you’d be a bit more charitable. On the other hand, the three of you are among the most heterosexist Christians of all, so I shouldn’t be surprised you left him hanging out to dry, now, should I?

Any Christian and conservative talking head who believes that the non-existent and incredibly idiotic “war on Christmas” is something worth fighting for, and think it’s an excellent marketing ploy ~ HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A BAH-HUMBUG TO YOU, BISQUES! Seriously, though. I thought greed was one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and that the love of money was the root of all evil? You could’ve fooled me. Meanwhile, methinks you may want to read up on how December 25th was co-opted by Constantine, then you all better get rid of all your mistletoe, your Yule logs, and your Christmas trees. All three of them are pagan symbols…and you know how God hates not being the centre of attention. ;)

Ted Haggard and Dave Palmer ~ If only you had come to terms with your sexuality/orientation sooner… The two of you could’ve saved yourselves so much heartache and torment.

Mark Driscoll ~ How. Dare. You. What you said after “Haggard-gate” broke was absolutely uncalled for, especially your accusations directed toward women. Bleck.

Sports Grievances
The Powers That Be over Team Canada (Olympic Hockey) ~ I still don’t understand how you could’ve sent Todd Bertuzzi over Sidney Crosby. Enforcer best known for ending Steve Moore’s hockey career > (Then) one of the best rookies in the NHL? Russia sent Alex Ovechkin (who was also a rookie player at the time); and they freakin’ cleaned your clocks! This year, the women’s team walked all over you guys.

Toronto Maple Leafs organization ~ I may be getting used to the new coach; but I don’t think Pat Quinn needed to go. Thankfully, though, Tie Domi also went. Gah.

The US sports media ~ Just because the US won a ton of medals in Salt Lake City did not mean our athletes would do the same in Turin. I also believe you shouldn’t have placed such lofty expectations on them–especially the “star” athletes.

NBC ~ Your live Olympic coverage still sucks. Also, please learn how to cover a curling match properly–in other words, show an entire end of it; and take your commercials in between ends. (ESPN, that goes for you, too.)

CBC ~ First Chris Cuthbert back in early 2005 (?) and now Brian Williams? And all that because BW signed on to work with CTV during the Vancouver Olympics (and possibly the ones in London, too)? Couldn’t you have let him finish his contract? Also, you’ve lost the the finals of the major Canadian curling tournaments after 2008 and CFL coverage (including the Grey Cup). If you end up losing Hockey Night in Canada as well, I may have to ask you to leave.

ESPN ~ It isn’t just the curling. It’s the World Series of Poker stuff, too. It was better when you showed the Main Event last. Also, if you’re going to broadcast the HORSE final table next year, perhaps you could include some pre-final table play along with that?

Pop Culture/Entertainment Grievances
Britney Spears ~ Okay, I’ll give you a pass for ditching K-Fed; but no more exposing of the crotch! That’s why underwear was invented. After two kids, you really don’t want to be showing off your vagina and cervix.

The producers of Project Runway 3 and Top Chef 2 ~ Cut out the unnecessary dramatics and histrionics and get back to what made these two shows great to watch in the first place: the fantastic clothing designs and the beautiful food.

Every “celebutante” on the face of the earth ~ Learn an actual skill, please? Flaunting your assets, partying your arses off, and pretending you have some sort of talent are not skills, mmkay?

CBC, again ~ Can you tell I’ve got a very big beef with you? To add to the sports grievances with the Ceeb, there’s the axing of what was probably the longest-running information series geared to tweens and teens: Street Cents. There was also the ditching of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning This Is Wonderland (which I long-dubbed “the best show you’re probably not watching”) and DaVinci’s City Hall (the spin-off of the (IMO) much more interesting DaVinci’s Inquest, which has been airing in syndication in the US since September 2005). Not to mention the one drama series I was very much looking forward to–Intelligence–turned out to be a snoozefest; and 22 Minutes is nearing its expiration date. I’m telling you; it’s not been good. Quite honestly, it’s a miracle I’ve not kicked you out yet!

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert ~ I was so looking foward to you teaming up for Indecision 2006. Unfortunately, except for the “Midterm Elections” animation, it was not all that fun. I ended up flipping over to MSNBC for most of it. Sorry, fellas!

Other Grievances
Adobe/Macromedia ~ The new icons for your various programs look like the colour wheel and the periodic table decided to have a love-in. It was not a good idea.

The city of Toronto, in general ~ I wish you weren’t so freakin’ far away. Something’s gotta give here.

* * * * *

I think I feel better now. Now all I have to do is pin my dad. :D

first the olympics, then curling, now CFL?!

Published
by
Shelly
on December 20, 2006
in O Canada! and Sportiness
. Closed

From 2008 till at least 2012/13, there will be no more CFL on CBC.

This summer, TSN (Canada’s answer to ESPN) inked a deal with the Canadian Curling Association so it can broadcast all of Canada’s major curling tournaments (Canadian Juniors, Tournament of Hearts (Women’s Championship), and the Brier (Men’s Championship)) and the Worlds. Before that, CTV (it and TSN are part of the Bell-Globalexpress family) picked up the rights to air the 2010 and 2012 Olympics in Vancouver and London (respectively). What’s next for them? Hockey Night in Canada? That’s, pretty much, all the Ceeb has left of any major significance in regards to sports programming!