Muslims believe that Jesus is one of many prophets before Muhammed (pbuh). Jesus is revered by Muslims.
They do not believe that he is divine.

Anyway the EID stamp has been out for three years. It commerates the end of Ramadan which falls at a different time each year due to the Islamic calendar being based on a lunar cycle. Recently, it has occured near the Christmas holidays.

Of course with the way Christmas is going the Christmas holidays start in October and end December 31.

American Christians have their religious Christmas stamp, there is a secular Christmas stamp and a Hannakuh stamp. If the USPS feels that there is a demand for a EID stamp from American Muslims then they can issue it.

Personally, I'm finding Buddhism more and more appealing everyday. There are no Buddist terrorists. The worst thing that could happen to you around a Buddist is getting burned if you happen to be standing too close to a monk that decides to set himself on fire. The monks that do that sort of thing have the courtesy to clear the area before lighting up.

No Buddhists do not worship Buddha in the way that Christians, Jews and Muslims worship God.

SHALOM!

Itchy skin may be eczema
Itchy skin may be eczema
Itchy skin may be eczema
Itchy skin may be eczema
Itchy skin may be eczema
Itchy skin may be eczema
Itchy skin may be eczema
Itchy skin may be eczema

Mood: bored
Music: Radioio Pop
Weather: Cloudy
Feet: two

WASABI!

Clarence is a chicken that is looking up. The cartoon is from a bird's eye perspective.



WASABI!

AAAAHHHH!!!!! I'm feeling paranoid.

I received this in e-mail:
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Someone who knows you has just begun the process of sharing experiences and opinions about you in our online community.

This email message is not spam.

This email message was sent to you as a direct result of the actions of a user at our website. If this email message was delivered to your spam or bulk email folder please notify your ISP or spam filtering company regarding this mistake on their part.

To view this posting use this link:

LINK DELETED
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So I visit the link and find that a couple of someones have been sharing experiences and opinions. Eek! I don't know what they are saying or how to go about finding out what they are saying. Some claim to know me professionally, others socially and others decline to comment.

Then again, this could just be a way to get money from me. There are various levels of memberships. I'll try to sign up for a free membership and see if I can read the comments or see if there are any actual comments.

People with small minds talk about people
People with good minds talk about things
People with great minds talk about ideas
People with extraordinary minds keep their @#$%! mouth shut!

WASABI!

This week I ran 11.17 miles, burned 1566.7 calories and weighed 167.8. BMI in the normal range. Today's run was a bit tough. Probably had something to do with the empty stomach. Apex protien cookies taste great and Gatorade really works wonders when the electrolytes and blood sugar is low.

The weather is cloudy with light rain and pleasant temperatures.

The windows are open and fans are on. It is good to cool the house with nature. Nature does not cost money, unless you are in a state or national park.

I had to remove Daisy's collar. It rubbed her hair off at the base of her throat just past the droopy skin. It did not damage the skin. The hair is starting to grow back. I will have to find a bigger collar for her. It is hard to get a good measurement on a Basset Hound's neck because of all the loose skin.

Here is a picture of Harley at the Ol Army Gentlemen's Society Sausage for a Cause.
http://www.ol-ags.com/gallery/album03/res42385
http://www.ol-ags.com/gallery/album03/res42391
http://www.ol-ags.com/gallery/album03/res42399
The banner Harley is wearing says Follow me for Sausage.

Appropriate that a sausage shaped dog is selling sausages. A daschund would be more appropriate since they are known as weiner dogs but who can resist the sad soulful eyes of a Basset Hound. Besides the gentlemen were selling sausages not weiners.

SNAUSAGES. (If you know what that is from then you have been watching too much VH-1)

I feel like burning or slashing the bottom of my left foot. It has been itching for two weeks now. I put athelete's foot lotion on it daily but that is not working. Only scratching and drawing blood seems to bring any relief.

I also have a itchy rash on my left knee. Maybe it is time to visit a medical professional. I am in a HMO. It is one of the best rated HMO's in the country but still there is a bit of bureaucracy.

Maybe I should try some stronger over the counter stuff. I just really hate the process at my HMO. I can't just set up an appointment with a dermatologist, I have to get a referral from my primary physician. In order to do that I have to set up an appointment to see him. He is a nice guy and a good doctor but I just don't enjoy going through middlemen.

The primary doctor may be perfectly capable of diagnosing the problem. He will write a prescription. I'll take it and see if it clears up. If it doesn't, it is back to the primary doctor to get a referral to the specialist.

I could just go to Home Depot and get a power sander. That would get rid of the itchy stuff. It would get rid of a few layers of skin but skin does grow back.

A blog entry about my skin problems. Oh boy, my life is ever so interesting.

WASABI!

Recipe Cards from the 1971 Betty Crocker Library.

This is my latest longer term humor project.

WASABI!

Ten reasons to become a Unitarian-Universalist (no particular order):

1. No Lent
2. Everyone is saved
3. Good coffee and conversation
4. Process theology: a theology for the long-winded
5. Old people that maintain their vitality
6. Fire! Fire! Fire!
7. A place where Baptists and Buddhists intersect
8. Holy cow! Most of these religions believe pretty much the same things
9. Get to know the non-bleeding, non-suffering Jesus
10. Nobody is perfect, not even God

That, my friends, is my elevator speech.

WASABI!

Am I A Mutant, or What!: A FoxTrot Collection

What.

This week ran 11 miles, burned 1507.3 calories and weighed 167.3.

The current issue of UU World has an article about blogs. UU's like to blog. I'm a UU and I like to blog. Mainly it is to sharpen my writing skills. I hope to write longer humorous essays. Drivel that cannot be expressed in the single panel comic format. I might write about religion but it is not the primary focus.

Here are some UU blogs:
www.universalistchurch.net/boyinthebands/
www.philocrites.com
andrealernermny.blogspot.com
stepbystep.blogs.com
unitarianuniversalism.org/adventures/
thechrysalis.blogspot.com
matthewgatheringwater.bogspot.com
www.onreligion.com

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I saw footage of Anderson (I need a first name) Cooper's interview with Don King on CNN's Headline News. Don King is supporting George Bush and it very excited about it. The footage made me excited. I got caught up in the emotion.

Don King needs to sell a line of alarm clocks. In the morning it would wake you up with: GO GO GO! WORK WORK GO GO! YOU ARE THE GREATEST! I LOVE YOU! GO GO GO! YOU ARE GREAT, GREAT, GREAT!!!!! GO!

That was the gist of Don King's endorsement of George Bush and his feelings toward Anderson (I should really invest in a first name) Cooper's interviewing abilities.

No, I don't take Anderson (Somebody give me a first name) Cooper seriously as a journalist. I suspect, Anderson (Insert first name joke here) Cooper doesn't either.

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Daisy and Rusty went to the park yesterday and Harley was selling sausages for charity.

WASABI!

I am awake. I got enough sleep. It could be the caffiene talking.

The greatest thing that Coca-Cola did was to add flavoring to its Diet Coke. Lime and vanilla are my favorite flavors. Right now, I am enjoying a Lime Diet Coke and listening to some Reggae music on 6 Music from the BBC.

Yesterday, I had a good workout in the gym.

It was Heartworm pill time for the dogs. They enjoyed the pill mixed in with peanut butter fudge. Rusty was happy with the evening grooming.

This morning, I was able to groom Rusty and wipe Harley and Daisy's ears. Daisy's ears are much better, she tolerates surface wiping. I haven't tried deep cleaning yet. I'll make an attempt Saturday.

Hopefully, our accountant got our tax extension in on time. According to a story on CNN the average tax preparation time is 28 hours. That is an indication that something needs to be reformed in the tax code.

I propose eliminating all deductions and credits. The first $25,000 of income is tax free. Nothing is withheld until the $25,000 mark is passed. Income above that is taxed at 2%.

Under my plan I would pay 2% of $800 (that is my approximate income above $25,000). I would send the IRS a check for $16. That is much less than I pay now, even taking advantage of every conceivable deduction. On the combined income a check for about $300 would be sent. That is still less than what we pay. That is a bit of a penalty for marriage, so simply eliminate joint filing. One taxpayer, one tax return. Those making $25,000 or less would not pay income taxes.

This is too common sense to succeed. Tax related professions would object (they could still get business from the self-employed or others that do not get a W-2), various interest groups that receive deductions would object, certain progressives would object because they believe that the wealthy needs to pay a greater percentage. That last objection can easily be remedied by increasing the tax rate at various levels of income above $25,000.

This plan would require just using taxes to collect revenue rather than behavior modification or encouragement. Also, spending would need to be cut and perhaps user fees assessed for some services (you use a service, you pay, if not, no need to pay). Income taxes are just one small aspect of the many taxes that are paid. Sales taxes provide a lot of revenue.

Since we file an extension, our outrage or joy is delayed.

WASABI!

The meeting was very productive and finished on time. I was in bed before midnight. This morning I hit the snooze 4 times.

Changed up the morning routine. Rusty is a bit irritated that he did not get his brushing this morning. I will brush him this evening. I'll give him a longer grooming. I hope he does not lay around being depressed. It is hard to tell when he is depressed.

I look forward to my workout after work.

I can still use a bit more sleep.

WASABI!

I got a bit more sleep last night. I don't know if I will get enough tonight. I have to attend a 3 hour church board meeting after work. I have cleared most of my schedule so that I can get to bed quickly after the meeting. The only thing that I will do after the meeting is update the cartoon. I hope to be home before 10:00.

I'm looking forward to the end of my term. I want to focus on other things within the church. I have enjoyed my time on the Board so far. After tonight that attitude might change.

There are much worse places to be stuck for 3 hours. A UU board meeting is not the worst. People are willing to suspend their lives for more trivial reasons. At least at a board meeting a difference can be made, assuming we have a quorum.

WASABI!

Why does morning have to happen so early? I never get enough sleep. All I need is one more lousy hour. That would be nice.

After coming home from a visit with the in-laws, I saw Rusty in the backyard and he looked shaved. Then I realized that I was hallucinating. What kind of weirdo would go into a stranger's backyard and shave their dog? I am that kind of weirdo. If I had the time and inclination that is the sort of crime spree I would go on.

Breaking into homes, putting up dishes, making beds, grooming animals, vacuuming rugs, mopping floors, put a six pack in the fridge and other household chores. I would leave evidence that the home had been broken into. I would get some satisfaction in messing with people's minds. They call the police to report the break in but nothing is missing and something got cleaned. On one hand they would feel violated but on the other they would be grateful for the household help.

If I was evil, I would break into a house and plant marijuana on the kid's clothes. Nobody is going to believe the kid when he/she says that they do not know how the drugs got there. "Yeah, right, somebody broke into the house and put this joint in the pocket of your jeans." That could really screw up a life.

Americans are already paranoid and easily spooked as it is. I don't need to add to it with any hijinks.

WASABI!

This week I ran 9.41 miles, burned 1288.8 calories and weighed in at 165.8 pounds.
I had a meeting that forced me to skip one of my evening runs.

Saw the movie Hellboy with some friends. Good movie.

Bought some old records at a garage sale. I never thought that the words, "Cool, a Les Baxter record!" would ever come out of my mouth. Until about 3 months ago I was unaware of Les Baxter. I've really been enjoying lounge music a lot lately. It is a 78 LP of Les Baxter. We don't have a turn table that can play that.

We scored pretty well at the garage sales. Not many sales because of the Easter weekend. Several estate sales. A lot of expensive funerals. That would be the only explanation for some of the outrageous prices on things. Estate sale as fundraiser to pay off funeral expenses.

After my death (certainly wouldn't want this done before then), I would want all my usable organs harvested and the rest cremated and the ashes spread out in various locations, Toledo Bend Lake, the Florida Keys, at a NASA facility, in the backyard.

Insomnia prevention and weight training is on the Google Ad banner.

WASABI!

Why do people insist on buying a bunch of scratch tickets while there is a line of people behind them trying to hurry up and get to work?

With so many choices in scratch tickets the purchasing process can be quite lengthy. I did not stick around long enough to see if this person was scratching the tickets while at the counter. That would have increased the annoyance factor. I just handed the clerk my money for the gas and ran.

Gas in Bryan/ College Station is $1.61 for unleaded. I might have to start biking to work. It is 8 miles. Maybe carpooling or public transport. I would have to get up at an ungodly hour to catch the bus. I hate getting up in the morning as it is. Anyway, it looks like it is time to investigate alternative transport to work.

Hapi: a festive treat. Hapi snacks for happy times.

WASABI!

This week I ran 10.31 miles, burned 1386.6 calories and weighed 168.1 pounds.

I just filled up a notebook, containing my work out log, that started on Dec. 31, 2001. I weighed 204.6 pounds.

I bathed all three dogs. This time, it was done outside. The bassets sensed that there was going to be some bathing so they hid among the bushes. Rusty got to be the first contestant. He did well and enjoyed the attention.

Harley shivered and drooled. Daisy kept testing boundaries. She is quite the crafty bitch.

I'm tired. I'm ready to spring forward and enjoy the extra daylight.

I'm ready to slap anyone who claims that we lose an hour. There are 24 hours in a day. There will always be 24 hours in a day. No hours are lost.

Stop being stupid.

BOOBIES!