News and Current Events - 2011

[Lyle (Mooska)]

I agree with Tony on this issue.

[tonydude]

 Thanks, Lyle. It's getting bad, here in Norfolk, and I've moved any new reports to the Cullen Cafe.  Meanwhile, I do appreciate, greatly, your keeping an open mind, let alone, any agreement.

[CellarDweller115]

Hello Tony and Lyle!

Thanks for posting to the Cullen Café regarding this issue.  If anyone else would like to join the discussion, feel free to click the link.

http://www.davecullen.com/forum/index.php?topic=40057.msg2005113#msg2005113

For anyone who is curious, the "Cullen Café" is a thread that is similiar to chat threads like Le Bar Slash & The Diner, but without all the "chit chat", it's set up for discussion on more serious topics.

[CellarDweller115]

Elizabeth Edwards cut estranged husband John Edwards out of will week before she died


By Corky Siemaszko DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Elizabeth Edwards cut her louse of a spouse out of her will - less than a week before she died.

The wronged wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards, who died last month after a courageous battle with breast cancer, left everything in her sole possession to their three children.

"All of my furniture, furnishings, household goods, jewelry, china, silverware and personal effects and any automobiles owned by me at the time of my death I give and bequeath to my children," the will says.

Edwards' eldest daughter Cate, a lawyer, was named as the executor of the will, according to Inside Edition, which obtained a copy.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2011/01/05/2011-01-05_elizabeth_edwards_cut_estranged_husband_john_edwards_out_of_will_week_before_she.html?r=news/politics

[Rob in Puyallup]

Good job, Elizabeth

[BayCityJohn]

It's back to school week!

The new reps in Congress read the Constitution, probably the first time for some of them:

Congress messes up Constitution reading

The House of Representatives managed to muck up reading the Constitution Thursday, dropping 115 words in Articles IV and V during the nearly 90-minute recitation on the House floor.

Lawmakers later went back and read the omitted parts on the floor to make sure they are included in the Congressional Record.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2011/jan/6/congress-messes-constitution-reading/


And in related news, the Pope feels the need to remind his followers of the Book of Genesis:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110106/sc_nm/us_pope_bigbang

[doodler]

And in related news, the Pope feels the need to remind his followers of the Book of Genesis:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110106/sc_nm/us_pope_bigbang

What's he have to say about Revelations?

[BayCityJohn]

What's he have to say about Revelations?

I don't know if he has read that book.

[tonydude]

 As an historical note: when the New Testament canon was being decided, in the 4th century A.D., the Eastern Church wanted Revelations excluded.  The Church of Rome required its inclusion, as the general interpretation, at that time, was that it was a coded account of the 500,000 to 1,000,000 victims of the Roman Empire's long persecution.
  As a further note, both Rome and Jerusalem are the 2 cities that have serious problems in excavating for laying foundations for new buildings.  History is everywhere they dig.  In Rome, in the 20th century, they kept running into mass graves of Christians, hence the upwards revision of how many were slaughtered. It was....genocide.
  Now, of course, various cults use the book to refer to the Church of Rome as the Whore of Babylon. Neat reversal of the original context.  The victim of the Roman Empire, the church, is now the villain.

[doodler]

As another note, the Church of God (unafilliated) I used to belong to taught that Jesus came to do away with the Old Testament rules and regulations. The Old was often used in sermons but only to show the difference between BC and AD. Which, apparently, is why I am allowed to pull my ass out of a ditch on the Sabbath.

[tonydude]

..... Which, apparently, is why I am allowed to pull my ass out of a ditch on the Sabbath.

  Mmmm.....Doodler, somehow I can't picture your being in that ungainly predicament in the first place  .  But, it's always good to have hypothetical dogmatic insurance policies.  Am glad you are aware of that one   .

[doodler]

I have a very dumb ass, but so far, he's not gotten himself into any ditches on the weekends. I'm just saying if that were to happen, God would overlook my working to get him out... according to the Church of God (unaffiliated.)

[BayCityJohn]

You can't make this shit up!

Michelle Bachmann Named to Intelligence Committee… Seriously, Stop Laughing

Twenty four hours into his post as Speaker of the House, John Boehner has thrown a bone to the Tea Party (as well as every comedian and satirist in the country) by naming Michelle Bachmann to the National Intelligence committee.  Famous for her over-the-top rants about Republican purity tests and Communist witch-hunts, Bachmann has provided a litany of factually incorrect sound-bites, and intellectually dishonest (or simply downright stupid) press releases.

http://newsjunkiepost.com/2011/01/06/michelle-bachmann-named-to-intelligence-committee-seriously-stop-laughing/

[BayCityJohn]

The victim of the Roman Empire, the church, is now the villain.

 

I always thought it was the other way around.

[tonydude]

I always thought it was the other way around.

  Well, for about 350 years, the Roman Empire did slaughter Christians, in numbers not fully understood until the late 20th century.  Mostly the victims were the Church at Rome (which is a phrase I would use out of respect for those who do not accept the Church of Rome as the same entity).  Anyway, they got worn down.  And Helena, the mother of the later Emperor Constantine (both British) converted and she probably battered her son into doing the same. Constantine made Christianity the state religion. He also asked for the answer to the big secret (where was Peter buried), and began constructing the original church there upon which the present St. Peter's is built.
  There was a belief the newly established church emasculated the old pagan empire, thus causing its downfall.  To answer this, St. Augustine wrote "The City of God".  Most scholars now believe the empire fell from outsourcing its military to mercenaries (think Blackwater, in modern times) and importing cheap labor (Germanic barbarians) that later supported their relatives invading.
 In a sense, then, maybe the Empire was, in an upside-down way, the victim, at long last, of the church. It's an open question.

  Meanwhile, I wonder if anyone would be interested in having a history thread for history buffs? Current events can often drift off into issues centuries before. Some topics don't seem to be rightful to pursue here, even if possibly relevant.  In a history thread, wow, those interested could delve into the antecedents of our current issues, and also....goof off in delving into many things in the waaay past. Anybody  ?