Mutterings for the oppressed, the hungry... and for Alvin

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter -- they're just words, well, at least some of the time they are. Today was the second full day of Spring? What does that mean? When it turned Spring, was there some sort of big change? All of a sudden the weather's gonna be different? Ha. The same could almost be said for New Year's Eve & New Year's Day. That has actual notable change, going from one month to another, one year to another, sometimes one century to another ... and whoa, sometimes even one millennium to another. But when you boil it down, if NYE is on a Wednesday, the next day is still Thursday. What's really so different?

The same thing with turning from Winter to Spring -- what's really changed? The first morning of Spring I think we were at about 7 below zero in the morning. This morning when I went to work it was a little warmer: -1° (about -18° C.) Almost an hour ago when I got home from work just after 9 o'clock tonight: 18 degrees (about -8° C.)

With the arrival of Spring, there hasn't been a change in the weather. No one has any extra spring in their step. The Communist government of China still oppresses Chinese citizens who oppose the human rights violations that take place there on a daily basis. Iran still wants to build nuclear weapons that they'll probably use to commit an act of genocide against Israel. And Islamic extremists still want to kill you and your family in order to cleanse the Earth of those who do not agree with their radical agenda for the Muslim people.

Meanwhile, for trying to help create peaceful, non-oppressive nations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and while giving more money to aid others than any other nation on the planet, the United States is the evil empire in the world. Hmmm.... [scratching head in wonderment at that one.] Happy Easter.

Unconscious Mutterings

a free association game -- I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Money :: It should always be used to help others in need. Sadly in American society so many people are more caught up in the selfishness of consuming goods they simply do not need while simply ignoring the suffering that takes place in the world. And interestingly, what they don't know is giving away money to make the lives of others better will actually bring more happiness than spending it all on self/family. I understand the need to pay bills and put food on the table ... but how often does that food have to cost several dollars per person when economically families can be healthily fed for just a buck or two per person? Is spending hundreds... or even THOUSANDS of dollars a year at Starbucks really important? Or why is a DVD collection more important than a village that doesn't even have clean water? Why is providing one child with the nicest of everything more important than an orphanage full of children, some of whom will end up in prostitution or scouring through a garbage dump for their next food to eat?

Blows my mind how wealthy Americans are, even those who think they don't have much ... in reality that have plenty yet millions upon millions of people suffer and die when money given to charities could help them. We don't wish to suffer like they do ... but why do we allow it?

Give today, to somebody, anybody, anywhere. Help an animal shelter, help protect an acre of land, help clean up a river, help support a summer camp for disadvantaged children or children with disabilities, help get needed medical care to rural areas of the world, help support an organization that gets girls off the streets and out of prostitution, help pay for a clean water well in an African village, help pay for the removal of landmines so kids can play without worry. Something. Anything.

2. Unhappy :: is how I can sometimes make myself when thinking about #1.

3. Joking :: is not what I'm doing when it comes to giving a darn about the atrocities that we don't care to see because it'll make us unhappy. Perhaps our unhappiness isn't what should put first because seriously, we generally have all we truly need ... what's the big deal then? But while I've been typing and while you've been reading, children have died simply because they don't have things that we pretty much, in general, take for granted, things like clean water, healthy foods, and simple medications to fight off simple diseases. I guess that's okay, though, as long as we're happy. Right? We can go about our lives seeking to undo our unhappiness while we go joking along through life concerned about a nicer, cooler cell phone or buying that summer home at the lake we've always wanted, or a sweet, new car ... because all those things, they're so important to our happiness, right?

Joking around is a good thing.

But a better thing is giving.

4. Chipmunk :: finally, something lighter ... like Chip & Dale or Alvin & The Chipmunks, which I don't think did too well at the box office, the new one with Earl.

5. Date :: going out

6. Slideshow :: pictures

7. Chicago :: "Windy City"



8. Lifetime :: Movie Network

9. Skid row :: ♫ 18 and life you got it, 18 and life to go ... i don't know the lyrics (nor do I care to) for whatever cheesy song that is by that incredibly cheesy "metal" hair band from the 80's.

10. Edward :: Van Halen



... now unlike Skid Row, Eddie VH has real musical talent. Well, I guess skid row does, too, but at least Eddie Van Halen's, well, cool.

why don't they wear pants?!