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December 31, 2007

New Year's Resolution

We all make New Year’s Resolutions.  If you claim that you don’t, you’re lying to me and yourself.  Don’t lie to Rebecca, I’m all knowing!  I have a list of wide ranging goals that I’m hoping to achieve in the new year, from getting my articles done in a timely fashion (which seems highly unlikely) to attempting to convince my friends that The Boondocks cartoon on Adult Swim is awesome (even less likely).
 
I’m sure that many of you would like to add devoting time to charitable works, but if you’re like me the response is, who has the time?  What if I told you that playing a free online vocabulary game could help feed those in need?
 
It’s true; visit http://www.freerice.com/ to play and help.  If instead of playing computer solitaire when bored at work, we all opted to play this, not only would we be helping others, but also our vocabulary will kick butt!
 
Everyone have a safe and happy New Year!  Remember, if you’re going to be drinking, either designate a driver or call for a taxi. 
 
Talk to you all next year!

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December 18, 2007

Sometimes a Con IS Magical

Okay, so it wasn’t actually magic, but sometimes, in my opinion, a quality con is simply magical.  This is the case with my magician of the day, Rotina Mavhunga of Zimbabwe.  According to an article at allafrica.com, “The Financial Gazette reported last month that the government had squandered $5 billion worth of taxpayers’ money and given away a farm to a pseudo medium, Rotina Mavhunga, after she claimed she could extract diesel from a rock by just pointing her magical stick at it.”  I guess no one in President Magabe’s Cabinet could persuade him that diesel is extracted from crude oil through a purification process, and that it seemed highly unlikely that Rotina could not only get crude oil, but purify it too.  Also, the concept of paying after getting results seems to have alluded them all as well.
 
Now Zimbabwe is preparing to haul Rotina into court for pulling one over on the government.  My question is, who is punishing the government for being this dense?  I think in all fairness, Rotina should give back the money, etc., not be punished and everyone walks away.  You don’t take Rotina to court, you don’t have to admit that you fell under her spell.
 
FREE ROTINA MAVHUNGA!

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December 10, 2007

Freeze! It's the Vice Squad! Part 2: The Rap Edition

Recently we discussed Iran’s new, improved, and super charged vice squad.  It appeared, at first glance, it was more about fashion than morality, with the targeting of those racy Iranian women who wore make-up or showed off some hot ankle.  Now Iran is learning what pop culture junkies here in America have known forever, fashion and music go hand in hand.  So while those feisty ladies have been rebelling in fitted jackets, the disenfranchised male youth of Tehran have turned to a musical culture founded on the struggle of impoverished youth battling against authority…that’s right, hip hop.
 
The use of profanity has made rap music the latest cultural endeavor to end up in Iran’s vice police cross hairs.  As those of us “old school” rap fans here in America know, sure, the swears words concern Iran, but the anti-authority, revolution inspiring themes, are what is really causing the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry to crackdown on the genre.  According to Mohammad Dashtgoli, the official for music at the Ministry, as quoted in a Breitbart.com article, “Illegal studios producing this type of music will be sealed and the singers in the genre will be confronted.”  He also states that “a large number of illegal rap singers have been already identified.”
 
Can you imagine an America where Public Enemy not only had to struggle with the conditions of their communities, but also with the sticky wicket of getting arrested for expressing their concerns musically?  “Fight the Power” indeed.  I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if N.W.A. released their classic track “F*** the Police” in Iran.  But, don’t despair, just like the rap hustlers of the early 80’s discovered, there is always a way to get the music out to those who want it.  There is a brisk black market trade of rap albums in Iran.
 
Iran has cause for concern.  This is a symptom of a greater disease for their government.  Iran is coming down with a bad case of democracy. 
 
On a related, but unrelated note.  To the American public:  Let musicians express themselves however they want to in their music.  You don’t like an artist’s language or message, don’t buy their music.  If I ever, ever, hear another round of politicians suggesting that there must be a way to quasi legislate an answer to the fact that rappers use the n word and call women hos I will be forced to take drastic action.  In an effort to not incriminate myself, I will just say that it will probably involve Al Sharpton and a pair of hair shears.

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December 04, 2007

Violence is Never the Answer. Well, At Least Not to a Curse.

I try to keep an open mind when being exposed to other cultures or belief systems, but there are some things I just can’t abide…and guess what?  It isn’t animal sacrifice, but that’s another blog.  It’s the practices employed by many different religions and cultures when dealing with someone who is believed to be possessed by a demon or somehow cursed.  The stories abound, and trust me, when you go to Google News and type in the key word “witchcraft” as often as I do, you see a lot about this.  I think it’s the fact that I didn’t go looking for this news story that made me notice it more.
 
There I am, visiting The Drudge Report website when I see the Drudge headline of “Girl nearly loses sight in eye-gouging exorcism...”  It lead me to the story of a 14 year-old Maori girl in New Zealand that nearly lost her eyesight when relatives scratched at her eyes in an attempt to drive out a curse.  The girl’s cousin drowns during the same curse lifting ceremony.  An estimated 40 members of the family attended the ceremony.  Five other members were worked on, but not injured.
 
Let’s not get into a debate as to whether a person can actually be possessed by a demon or evil spirit.  Let’s just say, for the sake of this blog, that a person can.  That, in my opinion, is no excuse to cause physical harm to anyone.  From what I understand, the general concept is, a demon inhabits a body, so make the body uncomfortable and the demon will leave.  (Much the way that sage smudging drives away negative energies from a home.  The sage makes your home stink so much that spirits leave.)  I get it, but um, so what?  Your child or whatever is possessed, so suddenly you don’t give two craps about their body.  Cursed or not, it’s your kid’s eyes you’re scratching out, not the demon’s.  Maybe I’m a sap, but I think a human’s soul is way stronger than their body, so let’s take it easy on the scratching and water, okay?  In this particular case the ceremony was held because one of the family members stole a stone lion from outside a hotel.  I don’t have children, so perhaps I’m wrong here, but if you find out your child stole something I’m pretty certain that you don’t start with scratching out their eyes.  Call it a hunch.
 
Can I suggest that if you think that you or someone you know is possessed by an evil spirit, to go see a medical doctor.  I know, it’s horribly unromantic, but the fact is, every single day scientists are learning something new about how the human mind works.  Also, if your priest or other religious community leader ever suggests that causing physical harm to yourself or someone else is the answer, kick them to the curb.

Posted by r.l.elson at 06:29 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


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