Sarah Palin and Katie Couric

On the question of what newspapers you read someone on Free Republic found this pithy comment from Thomas Jefferson:

I do not take a single newspaper, nor read one a month, and I feel myself infinitely the happier for it.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Of interest are Palin's views on abortion where she also opposes the Morning After Pill. She makes NO EXCEPTIONS for abortion and states that life begins at conception.

Notice when Katie badgers her by prosecutorially repeating the same question trying to rattle Palin, I remember this tactic from being on the stand and Palin handles it masterfully. And remember these are clips, edited quotes that are designed to make Palin look bad. I think Katie failed.

Bring on the debate Baby- we're ready!

U.S. Senator Mike Gravel D, Alaska on Palin

You might be surprised.



If you enjoy watching interviewers befuddled and put in their place- you might like this piece.

It's nice to see someone in political disagreement with Palin but who still has the ability to be fair.

I found it at Ann Coulter's website.

Daniel X by James Patterson

Order at Amazon.

On Saturday night I opened this book just as America's Most Wanted began on TV. Don't ask me who is "America's Most Wanted" this week because I have absolutely no idea. By the time I went to bed I was on Chapter 68.

Daniel X is an orphaned Alien Hunter who uses his super powers to hunt evil aliens inhabiting and threatening the Earth. With a penchant for gourmet cooking, an interest in elephants and an eagerness to play sports so desperate, he creates imaginary friends and then volunteers himself as the soccer ball, Daniel is lonely but makes the best of it. It is this characterization of Daniel X as unselfish and generous that gives this book a good message for teenagers who so easily become self absorbed.

Like all of Patterson's books this is a fast read. The story is compelling and the chapters are short- some a couple of pages. It makes the reader feel as if he is making rapid progress.

Contrasting it to the Maximum Ride series, I would say it is not quite up to that level. The fact that this book has been co-written, or ghost-written with another author can be felt. The storyline is not as smooth and the dialogue, a little more forced.

However, it is a book, for the most part wholesome, interesting and exciting enough to capture the attention of its audience which is teenage boys and girls. I would consider it a step up from a comic book without pictures and who doesn't like to read comic books? The plot and vivid characters are of the same intensity. If you have a comic book reader who has shown no interest in anything beyond that milieu this may do the trick.

The sequel is begun at the end to ensure future interest. If you are looking for a book for a reluctant teen reader this will serve nicely. And to begin the habit of book reading is so crucial and this book makes it so painless.

The Debate

Observations

1. In spite of taking a few days off from the campaign to deal with his job as SENATOR during the economic crisis, Senator McCain looks confident, at ease and presidential. Obama started his day at the gym. And he's still nervous.

2. Obama is sweating and the veins in his face are bulging. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

3. If Obama continues to call SENATOR McCain, "John" I think I will burst a blood vessel.

4. Have you ever heard Senator McCain call Barack Obama, "Barack"? Class- that's what it is.

5. Barack Obama keeps interrupting, "John". I think he's a little nervous that "John" has the goods on him.

6. Barack is talking about sending 2-3 more "brigades" (WTH?) into Iraq, b/c "There was no Al Qaeda before we went in there"???? He's self destructing.

7. Hey Barack- what's with the pink tie?

8. Obama on Pakistan, "Hey I went to a Madrasa there...." Just kidding. Notice the pronunciation by Obama- "Puk-i-stan". We know you're a native son. Really, you don't need to convince us.

9. Obama is trying to provoke McCain. It won't work.

10. McCain's face is screwed up. Even he doesn't know what "Senator Obama" is talking about.

11. McCain has a record going back to Lebanon and Somalia. I think Obama was still in diapers, or was still a community organizer or something.

12. If Barack Obama says, "When I'm president, I will...." one more time...

13. How many times has Obama travelled to the Middle East?

14. In speaking of Iran, has Obama aged 20 years during this debate or what????

15. With the discussion on Iran, McCain is now winning the Jewish American vote- and that's FL.

16. Does Obama realize how impotent he seems when he keeps saying, "When I'm president of the United States...." It looks pathetic. Delusional. Ineffective. Laughable.

17. Obama, "Iran is a global regime." WTH?

18. Is anyone doing a count of how many times Obama says "Uh"? I really hope so.

19. McCain just said, he doesn't have have a presidential seal yet. LOLOLOLOL

20. Russia comes up and Obama is too distraught to respond. McCain plays the Naivete card. Very effectively.

21. Obama is just working too hard. He thinks b/c he can say all these things, with the proper pronunciation, that people will think he knows things. Crimea, petro dollars, throw in a few states in Georgia and Obama thinks he's something. Newflash- you're not all that.

22. McCain is summarizing, "If we fail in Iraq it will encourage Al Qaeda...."

23. When Obama says, "Now look..." Do you want to jump down his throat? Or is it just me?

24. I think Obama is starting to believe that he is the Messiah, the media, the rhetoric surrounding his campaign, the Obama phenomenon.

25. McCain is now linking Obama and Bush. Brilliant.

26. Closing comments: McCain brilliancy- he knows how to end the war, heal the wounds of war, etc... and thus the debate ended. Sorry Obama, with an air of resignation he acknowledged Michelle- what is she wearing????

Verdict- McCain won. No question.

Was it Aliens?

A farmer in Whitehouse, OH had an artist and a John Deere Tractor create this. I just love it when the Artsy crowd and the blue collar farmer gets together. Here's the article.


The farmer Duke Wheeler said of the image, "I think she's be proud".

No question.

First Week at School

Stephen started school this week. A friend sent me this picture. I was relieved to see that 1. He is behaving himself. 2. He doesn't appear a bit homesick. 3. The photo is from this angle because from the other side the hole he managed to tear in his school sweater already would have been visible.

Stephen has the looking good and behaving down and now he just needs to work on keeping track of his homework long enough to hand it in.

Over at Latin Mass Network

... my red-headed-step-child of a blog, I've written about "Voting Catholic in this Election Year".

If you want to come on over and say "Hey" or "What the heck" please do.

Thanks.

Pummelled

Good Twin/Bad Twin [Isn't this picture just the creepiest?]

...from the

LEFT

where this intellectual giantess is threatening to report me the IRS (?) and I don't even think she knows about my anti-Semitism. Maybe I'll clue her in and she can report me to the Justice Department at the same time.

Non-Catholic, Anti-Catholic, No-longer-Catholic heretics:

CommonGround
Pacifists (aka cowards)
Call to Action
Pax Cristi
Anyone who quotes MLK Jr on their blog
Anyone who calls soldiers murderers (if only we had know that BEFORE we canonized St. Martin).
Anyone who links to the Maryknolls
Anyone who has this attractive picture of Sr. Helen Prejean on their website:





and

the

RIGHT.

But don't worry- I can take it.

Who's Afraid of Sarah Palin?

Hearing of Holofernes' plot, Judith, a widowed resident of Bethulia, put on beautiful clothes and jewelry and entered the Assyrian camp, purporting to be a spy against the Jewish people. She promised to tell Holofernes how to destroy the Jews; but when Holofernes became drunk at a celebration, she followed him into his tent and cut off his head.

This election is one that will separate the men from the boys and the boys from the eunuchs. I'm hearing men say to my astonishment, that they will not vote for the McCain/Palin ticket because Palin is a woman. That seems to me to be taking your own inferiority complex a little too far.

And by this attitude some husbands seem to believe that their wives are at home, tending to the children, cooking and sewing and cleaning because they are fit for little else and they are at home because of their "inferior" talents. Frightening isn't it? And that makes big strong men feel bigger and stronger.

Do these same men have a problem with the Co-Redemptrix of mankind? Is it possible that they miss the analogy of a woman defeating evil as part of God's plan?

As a good friend of mine has said, we've sent plenty of "pro-life" men to Washington and they have accomplished little to nothing. Perhaps God wants to try something different. The thought of a pro-life mother in the White House gives me the chills. What an opportunity.




Couched in a veneer of compassion I've heard people say, "If only she didn't have all those children." or "If only she didn't have a special needs baby."

If only! If only! That is the whole point! She has her babies because she is PRO-LIFE- get it?

So for those of you with your one talent (your vote) who are intent on burying it in the sand lest you lose it, you go right ahead. We don't need you. It's time for the rest of us to stand up for what is right. If you want to join us and stop hiding behind your own insecurities it would be a good time. Or carry on and insist upon your feelings of superiority. But let me tell you- you're not fooling anyone.

There are few things that irritate me more than misogyny disguised as respect for femininity.



And for those of you so "determined" to show your respect for the role of women, the role of mothers by not voting for someone who is pro-life, when is the last time that you refused to watch a movie because the leading actress had young children? Listen to music recorded by a singer with young children? Refused to watch a sitcom because the starring lead had young children that she was neglecting to pursue her acting?

That's exactly what I thought.

Totally Worth It

I realize there are some images here that one could quibble with but why do that when something so important is at stake. (You know who you are ;).

I think this is really masterful in what it conveys and the emotions it stirs as I watch this.

And for the person who has been steadily accusing me of anti-Semitism on his blog and in the many anonymous and pseudonymous comments- I hope you are satisfied. And I really hope you didn't think that I didn't know that you use a variety of aliases to attempt to post here and to actually post on your own blog. You're right it's not about you- it's about being a poster child for mental illness. Sir you have my sympathy and my pity but sadly not my respect.

Five Favorite Books I've Read This Year

I know it's early in the year- September but I think my reading cycle is just about down. Now I'll go back to reading only the Angelus, Yankee Magazine and Country Living. School is starting and things will get hectic and harried.

So, # 1 is [drumroll please] The Faithful Departed by Phil Lawler. Personally I don't understand why this book isn't getting more press. I guess because it has been blacklisted by so many bookstores, Daughters of St Paul (but true to their principles they will ORDER the book for you) maybe if Phil writes a book about Medjugorje he will get top billing. The National Shrine bookstore in D.C. also blacklisted the book and cancelled a book signing. Freedom of speech, isn't it wonderful?

But anyway, order the book and you'll find that you end up ordering half a dozen and giving them out as gifts. The book is that good.The blog is pretty good too.

2. Swimming With Scapulars by Matthew Lickona. This book has been around for a while but I only got to read it after my brother gave it to my sister who read it and then gave it to me. Very interesting book. While some of it was "too much information" and he does reveal a sentiment that he himself proclaims "monstrous" this is a useful book and says a lot about the young, orthodox Catholics emerging from schools like Thomas Aquinas. I'll give it 3 1/2 stars.

3. The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan. Don't know why but I went on an Amy Tan reading spree this summer. Found this book at a book store and it was really a good one. Love the theme of the old world informing the new and how what seems like irrelevant superstitions are really figurative reality. If someone can figure out what that means let me know. I mean I know but am I the only one?

4. Master of Hestviken by Sigrid Undsett. Man was this great. Tragic, dramatic, brilliant and leaves Kristin Lavransdatter in the dust. (sort of). Reminds me a little of Tess of the d'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy.

5. Fix it and Forget it- A Recipe book for Slow Cookers (because that sounds so much more refined that "crock pot" doesn't it?) This book has helped me reclaim hours during the day, my husband's adoration and at least 10 lbs and that is as mixed a compliment as you can get. Money saving too.

Physics Rap

Science is cool. This was written by a graduate student, Kate McAlpine. And I feel like if I just keep watching this video over and over again I might understand Physics.