Duped By the Heenes

To the Heene family: Nice fucking try!

Thursday morning- while I was out working- the country was riveted in the drama where a littlw boy, named Falcon, all of a rambunctious six, apparently went inside an experimental balloon his father Richard (all of a precocious 44- though KCNC CBS 4 in Denver says that he's 48) made. Richard lost control of the balloon, with Falcon inside, and it flew fifty miles from their Fort Collins home. The balloon landed in a field and officials opened up the balloon- and found no Falcon. Of course, it was later revealed that the little guy wasn't in the balloon, but instead, was apparently hiding in the garage attic.

Now comes news that the little runt wasn't in the attic, either. In fact, Larimer County sheriff Jim Alderden now says that the family was pulling a stunt just to land another reality show, and this stunt was two weeks in planning. Only, this little stunt now earns the parents a possible $500,000 fine, and six years in prison. And to think that I was willing to give the parents the benefit of the doubt. After all, the world's all nervous over a little boy in peril- the balloon had electronics that would have electrocuted the boy. Of course, we're all relieved that Falcon is okay, but to use him as a ruse to cover up the fact that the parents are nothing more than media whores just to be on another reality TV series, that's plain fucked. Apparently, ABC's "Wife Swap" and being an amateur storm chaser just wasn't enough for them. Now, Richard- and possibly Mayumi- Heene could play a different kind of swap. All because they wanted to overstay their fifteen minutes. Hell, they could have just began acting careers and did fine. Or do what Joseph Jackson did with his kids back in Gary, Indiana- turn those three boys into singers or actors.

How's playing the world for a fool working out for you now, Rich?

(C) 2009 by Darren W. Alexander.
All Rights Reserved.

North Carolina Church Wants You To Burn Your Bibles

"All Scripture is inspired by God" -2 Timothy 3:16

Called the "Good Book" by many people, the Bible is no doubt responsible- according to many- for changing lives for the better. Politicians even use parts of it to frame laws on the books. Whether you believe every tenet and scripture or not, that's your personal choice. Hell, there are parts of it that I don't agree on, and in some cases, I even believe that parts of it is outdated. But that's me. There are many translations of the Bible. For instance, many faiths such as the Southern Baptist Convention use the New International Version, or NIV. Many others use the King James. The Jehovah's Witnesses have their own version, The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. No matter the translation, many stand by the Bible for wisdom and comfort. However, there is a congregation in Canton, North Carolina- which is near Asheville- who believes that all translations, save for one, are perverted and even the spawn of the Deity many call Devil and Satan.

Amazing Grace Baptist Church is sponsoring a mass burning on Halloween. Among the materials that are suggested to be fuel for the bonfire are:

• CDs of rap/hip-hop; heavy metal; and other genres of music
• Books and magazines. Not just the pornographic kinds, either. Novels, mainstream magazines (such as Vanity Fair, Esquire, Time), and probably the local and national newspapers, too.
• And Bibles and Contemporary Christian Music CDs, as well as books by Billy Graham and Rick Warren, and other evangelicals.

Wait a sec. Bibles and Contemporary Christian music is included on this list? Yes! The Bible is included in this list of items to be burned. Apparently all translations- save for the King James Version- have been perverted by the Devil Deity, according to the pastor of Amazing Grace, Marc Grizzard. Grizzard believes that openly the King James Version- and not the New King James Version, mind you- is the only true translation of the Bible. He also believes that Billy Graham- who has his Billy Graham Evangelical association ministry in nearby Charlotte- and Reverend Rick Warren, of Saddleback Church (which is affiliated with the SBC), among others, are nothing more than messengers for the Antichrist.

I'll admit that I'm not exactly the most spiritual person on the planet, but I am nonetheless a spiritual person, and do believe that there is a Deity and God. So I'm trying to comprehend the reasons behind Marc Grizzard's decision that only the King James version is true, while others are just rubbish. Even as I don't read my Bible as much as one probably thinks I should, I'm not going to burn it, no matter the translation. As I look at this story, which you can watch by just clicking on the title, I look at the past, when people were burned at the stake- some holding their Bibles, nonetheless, in their efforts to keep it alive through the ages. Others- those in communist countries such as China, and for a time Russia (when it was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), plus a few Muslim countries- banned it and probably held a few Bible burnings as well. Of course, some jurisdictions still do this today. Admittedly, the Amazing Grace Baptist Church is within its right to do so- freedom of speech and expression under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Still, I don't have to agree with them. I don't think too many others do, either.

(C) 2009 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.

Mayor: Recallers got their shot | Local News | kgw.com | News for Portland Oregon and SW Washington

Mayor: Recallers got their shot | Local News |
kgw.com | News for Portland Oregon and SW Washington

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Portland mayor Sam Adams job is safe- for now. But the man behind the petition drive to recall Adams is itching to start a second one. My advice to Jay: LET IT GO! LEAVE IT ALONE, DUDE!

As we all know by now, Sam Adams- who became the first openly gay mayor of an American city with a population of 500,000 or more on January 1- confessed on Inauguration Day (of all fucking days!) that he had a relationship with legislative intern (of anti-gay representative Kim Thatcher...BITCH!) Beau Breedlove. A subsequent criminal investigation found that Adams did nothing wrong in having any relationship with Breedlove (Adams could have faced misdemeanor charges for having sex with Beau when Beau was 17. Lucky Sam waited until Beau turned 18...). A petition drive took place between July 7 and today, and the drive has failed to gather the minimum number of signatures- 32,000- to force a recall. Had it succeeded, Adams wouyld have five days to call it quits, or explain why he shouldn't leave 1221 SW 4th Avenue (location of City Hall. The MAX light rail now stops in its back door...but that's neither here nor there...).

But the man behind the original petition drive, Jasun Wurster, just won't let it quit. He's planning a second petition drive to drive Adams out of office. Why doesn't Wurster just wait two years, then file the paper work with the Secretary of State, and run for mayor if he feels that Adams is such a fink. Okay, so Sam lied about his relationship with that little media whore (who used this scandal as a stepping stone to show off his shortcomings in a gay porn magazine) while city commissioner. SO FUCKING WHAT! The majority of the people- including this blogger who happened to vote for Adams (over business owner Sho Dozono)- still think that Adams is a good mayor, in spite of- or probably because of- this scandal (and the subsequent news that one of his homes is in foreclosure, and that he's not exactly the best driver in town).

Jasun, get over yourself.

Click on the headline above for the KGW story.

(C) 2009 by Darren W. Alexander
All Rights Reserved.