Post Toasties

Zion Creek © Kip Peterson 2013

I managed to make it through Christmas, hope the rest of you did as well. I believe that I may be toting around a few extra pounds, pretty much ate like a swine yesterday at Bill and Jean's. Normally we do Christmas Eve with them and dim sum on Jesus's birthday but things got changed around this year. and we dined on superb Christmas lasagna.

I got way too many plates of cookies and cupcakes this year, every description, from every direction. If I was a stronger man I would gather them all up and throw them in the trash right now, but I lack certain intestinal strengths and fortitude so I will instead quietly eat and loathe.

One of my coffee chums, Tom, showed me the family portrait that they took in the park yesterday, all subjects color coordinated in matching blue, per his spousal instructions. I poked a little fun at funky, sixties style family portraits in matching sweaters and I guess it was the wrong thing to say because he let on that the family had once posed all bedecked in their reindeer sweaters. Very gentile thing, but I will fight for their right to wear them...

The christmas, happy holiday wars show no signs of abating, stoked on by the house organ of conservative theology, Fox News. War on Christmas, Iowa congressman feasts on Santa's favorite reindeer, film at eleven.

Leslie showed me the following letter in the San Diego Union Letters to the Editor yesterday, from a Fallbrookian no less;

While I am happy that Chuck got things squared away, it does lead to a few questions. Mr. Collins needed guidance from his pastor before he realized that someone wishing him happy holidays was not lobbing a cannon shot across his spiritual bow?

And the friendly greeting had to be morphed into a religious invocation before it became acceptable to him? Why do certain people require that others believe and worship the same way they do and why do non or dissimilar belief systems pose such a threat? Unless they are actually suffering from some absence of faith, of course.

Why does the majority, of any religion, seek to rule their sovereignty like bullies? Blunt force, majority rules is a rather weird concept in the kingdom of thoughts and ideas. You must think and worship as I do.

In most Arab countries it is against the law to renounce Islam. At least we don't do that round these parts. Kwaanza, Festivus, Solstice, Chanukah, Buddha's birthday, y'all have at it. You want to marry a guy, a girl, a hundred wives, a parakeet, ain't none of my business. Just don't tell me how to think or behave. The Sommers don't take direction well.

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Of course the yids are playing the same game this week in Israel.

Stupid obviously crosses all creeds and boundaries. Religious states are so divisive and obtuse, ripe for inherent battles over what constitutes proper faith, adherence and religious doctrine.

God forbid they make the christian arab lawmaker feel included.

Daisy Deadhead once said, in all seriousness, that we needed religion or people would start killing and eating each other. I think I would prefer to take my chances.

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Did you see that there is another American captive in Pakistan very irritated that his country has seemed to have forgotten him? Warren Weinstein. Last week it was Robert Levinson. Anybody see some kind of pattern here? Like maybe Islamic countries are not safe places for jews? Hello! Lucky they don't boil you in kreplach. Don't even try it. Next time, how about Miami? Not funny of course, tragic but hey, a Weinstein walking into Karachi is like having Oprah host a klan meeting. Don't do it.

Mr. Weinstein said that he had served his country for 30 years, and that nine years ago he came to Pakistan to help the United States government. “I did so at a time when most Americans would not come here,” he said. “And now, when I need my government, it seems that I have been totally abandoned and forgotten.”
Mr. Weinstein said his captors had agreed to let him meet with his family if Qaeda members held by the United States were released.
“Mr. Obama, you are a family man, and so you understand the deep mental anxiety and anguish that I have been experiencing for these past more than two years,” he said. “I am therefore appealing to you on a humanitarian basis, if nothing else, and asking that you take the necessary actions to expedite my release and my return to my family and to my country, to our country.”

Don't climb mountains and expect to get rescued on our dime and don't go to the arab world with a name like Weinstein and think that they won't try to kill you and don't expect this government to do a thing for you because they won't because you don't really fit into their current narrative. Winning hearts and minds in the arab world and all that.

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Stan sent along some quite interesting photographs. Hi Stan, hope you are feeling better. And you too, Bill Priest. We need to venture into the new year feeling strong.

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Infamous Pattaya from the deck of Cape Dara Resort

ML is back in Thailand getting his new line together and sends this picture of Pattaya.

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Cameron Loughlin sent me a gift of a beautiful guitar strap. Cameron is Michael's son and used to be a rocker in San Francisco. This one is called Unique Batik Orange and I really love the look. Haven't put it on my Taylor yet but I will soon. Can't get my bad shoulder around the guitar quite yet. Cameron has a company called Tempest Leather and is putting out a top notch product. Check out his website here.

Thank you Cam, it's wonderful!

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Jerry sent along this beautiful shot from Hilo, Nahko's waterfall.