Atheists, Muslims, and Wife-Swapping

...watched the TV show "Wife Swap" last night... featured an atheist family vs. a Christian family. What's most interesting is how the story is almost completely fabricated after the footage is taken. Here's a fairly good analysis of this show and of how "Reality" shows in general are put together - albeit a bit from the atheist's perspective.

[subject change]

...if you thought Muslims couldn't come up with a rational justification for terrorism you were wrong... it almost makes sense. They got one thing right (in the conclusion) - America has placed itself into a corner.

...oh and speaking of atheists, there's a new film out called "The God who Wasn't There" claiming that the historical Jesus didn't even exist. (geesh, people... get past this would you?) ... its entrance lines are:
Bowling for Columbine did it to the gun culture.
Super Size Me did it to fast food.
Now The God Who Wasn't There does it to religion.

...yeah... right.

(by the way, if you haven't seen Super Size Me, it's a must see.)

Meet Ricardo I. Zavala

I met Ricardo at a party only briefly a few weeks ago and found out that he has written several short stories that were published in some literary magazines. I've read them since and in my humble opinion they are very good.

The settings are from his Mexican-American boyhood days in South Texas and provide this Whiteboy a special insight into not only the life and times of this wonderful man and author, but a glimpse into the lives, frustrations, and hopes and dreams that many Mexican-Americans must experience.

Ricardo I. Zavala graciously gives permission here to reprint three of his short stories previously published. ("Scraps" published by the St. Edwards University literary journal - New Literati, the other two by Arizona State University.) Of course, all rights are reserved by the author himself. I hope you'll enjoy them as I did.

A small boy runs off into the fields to work and to learn more than he cares to in:
The Prayer
by Ricardo I. Zavala


One of the best short stories I've ever read. This disturbing canine drama reminds me of good 'ole Flannery O'Conner herself. It's a dog's world in:
Scraps
by Ricardo I. Zavala


My heart goes out to a small boy caught between two worlds in:
It No Looky Too Good
by Ricardo I. Zavala

Rattlesnakes Everywhere! Vaccine Me, Please!

...yet another example of two of my primary postulates which I'll state here for clarity:

1. Americans basically live in a "culture of fear"

2. Americans are out of touch with their natural environment

This shiny sign posted by doctors of veterinary science (I presume) intends to scare drivers passing by into spending money for a vaccine to keep themselves or their pets from DYING in case they get bit by a rattlesnake.

...a few personal observations if I may.

I used to be an amateur herpetologist that bred, raised, handled, studied, bought and sold at least hundreds, if not thousands of snakes, lizards and reptiles in general.

I live in an area that is some of the most heavily populated by wildlife land probably in Texas and possibly even in the lower 48 states (Texas Hill Country). I see some kind of wildlife everyday and have done a few roadkill surveys on this blog listing the animals alive and dead spotted.

I'm also an Environmental Science major that knows wild animals somewhat and watches for them continually.

I have YET to see a venomous snake alive or dead in the the 3 years I've lived here - either in nature or on the road.

I'm beginning to wonder if the rattlesnake roundups and general snake ignorance of the masses hasn't killed most of them off. For the first two years I hadn't seen a single snake of any kind anywhere while here in the Texas hill country. (I'm sure some are there, I just haven't seen any.)

So back to the point. This sign is warning everyone of the dangers of getting bitten by a rattlesnake. It is instead:
Postulate 1 - fear inducing
Postulate 2 - ignorance inducing

Don't be afraid. Don't be ignorant.

Whiteboy sitting in the American Kitchen sez:
"In case you didn't notice people, there's not that much wildlife left - let alone reason to worry about dying from it!"

Prisoner Discovers Oldest Christian Church

Razilo, who is serving a two-year sentence for traffic violations, was one of about 50 prisoners brought into the high-security Megiddo Prison...

This line is buried in the Yahoo story on the discovery of the oldest known Christian Church.

My only question is what the hell is someone doing hard labour in a maximum security prison for violating traffic laws? Did he run multiple red lights? A hit-and-run? A driving-while-intoxicated?

Is this a common occurance in Israel's justice system?

And yes, this does touch a sensitive nerve on my part. I was taken to county jail on my way to work one morning here in Hays County, Texas because I unknowingly owed some abstract surcharge (road tax) of $250 that the bureaucracy failed to mention to me. Good thing I wasn't in Israel. I'd be digging rocks and discovering artifacts for Israeli officials to gloat about.

Whiteboy sits in the American Kitchen and sez:
This could be you next

Willie Nelson Live in the Texas Hill Country

...saw Willie Nelson play his Texas hill country gig last night at the Floors Country Store in Helotes, Tx. Very nice show! ...wasn't really a big Willie fan before, but i gotta admit, that whatever cool is - that's Willie. Ok, i'll say it, for real, it's not a hoax - Willie is cool.

...lots of old long-haired men, tequila shots, and screaming young fans (men and women) ...a good crowd, a good venue, a good time.

This guy can play the guitar too! He really can. I've played myself ever since i was a child and always thought Willie was just a picker and grinner, strum-along kind of guy - but no - this guy really is a master. he's just got his own style and its a jazz kinda thing that goes along well with his singing style.... he's creative! a definite master of an expressive art called music.... i'm impressed and must say he probably deserves the iconic stature that's been given him.

His tour's called "Live and Kickin".... catch him if you can... he's definitely a must see event for every American while he's still around.

Whiteboy in this American Kitchen sez:

Yee haaaaa!!! Long Live Willie !!!

National Database on Your Personal Health

Making Sure Only the Healthy People Have Doctors

Did you know there is a national database on all your health records? Just like how your credit rating is reported by the big 3 - Equifax, Trans-Union, and Experian (formerly TRW) - your insurance claims, perscriptions, treatments and the like are recorded for and reported to the insurance industry. Apply for life, health, or disability insurance and this database is tapped first thing.

The company is MIB. They consider themselves as "a defender and guardian for both the insurance buying public, as well as for the insurance industry". They are in fact a centralized clearing house that provides medical and avocation information on people who apply for insurance to insurance companies.

Their central purpose is to keep people with health problems from joining the insurance pools of people who have not had health problems. They are watchdogs that consider people with health problems trying to get insurance as "jerks trying to butt in line."

They do offer a free exposure of their records to individuals if you happen to know about them and know how to request it. Basically, you call 1-866-692-6901, their disclosure number, and go through an automated series of verifications of identity and supposedly they mail you the report.

I never used to believe in national health care (ala Hillary Clinton), but I'm starting to wonder. My daughter Ariel is in Slovakia. She's been very sick. She doesn't have insurance or much money.

She went to a doctor there and says she got good care plus strong anti-biotics - all for about 20 US dollars. I'm not sure if this was subsidized by the government or not, but I know I couldn't get that here in the US.

I fell out of the insurance system and haven't had insurance for a number of years due to job changes and not being able to afford premiums, etc. It'll probably be expensive as hell to ever get back in.

I hope I don't get sick. Nor my wife. In the mean-time I'll find out what kind of risk the insurance industry considers me to be when I get my MIB report back.

Big Brother is still watching it looks like.

My American Bulldog - Phoebe Dove (named after my Great-Great Grandmother)

Doesn't my dog look like the old timey bulldog that used to roam through the Southern states before WWII? This is an antique advertisement from somewhere around the turn of the century. This other picture is Phoebe Dove, my American Bulldog and pick-of-the-litter from the famous American Bulldog stud, Joshua's Ol' Southern White. She's about 75 pounds and pure muscle and pure baby when it comes to her need for attention and her attachment to me - her owner. She's a good dog and I am proud to have her.

...the original history on how these American Bulldogs came about is pretty interesting. Basically they are, what is now known as, the English Bulldog BEFORE they were bred down into the pug-nose misfits that they are today. After bullbaiting was outlawed in 1825 and dog shows began forcing breeders to breed for type and looks only, the working functionality was bred out of the English bulldog to the point where the English bulldog today isn't athletic by any means. Females can't even deliver pups naturally and require C-sections due to the abnormally large heads. English bulldogs are also known for their breathing problems due to an extremely shortened muzzle.

American bulldogs are essentially a restored population nearly gone extinct descended from the actual bull-baiting bulldogs from the 1700s brought to this continent by the early English colonists. There are various theories though based on this basic theme.

Other American bulldog history links:

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• nother
• And another