An etherealgirl's Adventures in Cyberland

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

a few of my current favourite things

Okay, so once I got started it now seems that I can't stop. But this is just gonna be quick.

We saw The DaVinci Code last week. And critics and protesters had zero effect on my sheer delight! Yes, I'm sure it's not exactly high art; yes, I know it is fiction not fact (so does the movie); and yes, I've read the book so I knew the plotline very well. I'm no movie critic and I've no problem jumping in with joyous abandon and with a great capacity to give in to the suspension of disbelief. And I suppose I'm one of those all-too-easy to please member of the unwashed masses but it matters diddly... I absolutely loved the movie!!!

My other two favs are in heavy iTunes rotation right now:

Neil Young's raw and outraged Living With War and The Dixie Chicks beautiful Taking the Long Way.

Neil Young's Shock and Awe is an amazing, visceral experience every single time I hear it. It sums it up so painfully and so starkly and captures the outrage I feel so completely, that it almost scares me. Somehow I know that I'm not the only one who feels that way. And I can't get through Families and Flags of Freedom without crying yet. And while it probably hasn't been helping my overall mood lately, I find that I have to listen to it alot. Somehow there is a strange comfort in sharing all these gut wrenching feelings and having them validated and vocally expressed so well...

And I can't say enough about The Dixie Chicks; this cd has surpassed every expectation. The most beautiful and moving song, for me, is Silent House (evidently about Natalie Maines grandma who suffers from Alzheimer's) followed closely by Lullaby (trust me, it's a mom thing and you never ever stop feeling those sentiments no matter how old your baby gets).

But everything on it is awesome and Lubbock or Leave It totally kicks a**.

Post Updated on 05-31-2006 to add a screenshot of the latest desktop I've made featuring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou:



Shoutout to my beautiful daughter Mina for giving me some tips on polishing the desktop up! Love you, dear Mina xoxoxox

Posted by etherealfire :: 2:27 AM :: 6 Comments:

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a couple of things that defy categorization for the moment

The first one everyone probably already read but I thought it was awesome so I'm posting the link:

Shatner: Horses Can Help Disabled Kids

Yeah, I love William Shatner and I think this is really wonderful!!!! So many things really bring me down this decade (HA!) that I treasure every beautiful little gem like this because it restores my faith in the human race!

This next link... okay, don't harrass me about this. I got the link from a newsgroup I read (I know, I KNOW, but just humour me here a bit, okay????); something I'd never seen or heard of before:

UFO Disclosure Project UFO Meeting courtesy of Youtube.

YES, I watched it; every single minute of it and I was really intrigued...

At about 80:32 George Bush Sr. is mentioned. Then it gets reaaaaaally interesting. Whatever one may think about this kind of thing, it is still intriguing and fascinating stuff and the statements made about the way that Star Wars type programs and scenarios are justified by certain factions of our government... well, let's just say it was just another confirmation for me personally about the way our government is working to our detriment. This meeting happened in May 2001. As far as I know there has been no congressional hearing.

It occurs to me that this can be added on to the enormous pile of so September 10th casualties. Public disclosure of ANYTHING appears to be So September 10th with this lovely administration so it shouldn't be surprising that something as controversial as this would be.

Site link is here.

Posted by etherealfire :: 2:02 AM :: 0 Comments:

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lz picks up Polar Music Prize

Umm, yeah, but that was so last week....

You may have noticed my ongoing posting-malaise. You know it is really bad when it takes me about a week to post any kind of Pagey~related news.

Oh well, better late than never, here's some now:

Led Zeppelin picks up the Polar Music Prize

[May 22, 2006] The surviving members of Led Zeppelin received the prestigious Polar Music Prize from Sweden’s king today in the city where they recorded their final studio album 27 years ago.

Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones crossed the stage of the Stockholm Concert Hall – also the venue for the annual Nobel Prizes – to accept the award they shared with Russian conductor Valery Gergiev. John Bonham, the group’s drummer, who died in 1980, was represented by his daughter, Zoe.

In a short acceptance speech, Plant recalled that Led Zeppelin recorded their last studio album, In Through the Out Door, in a Stockholm studio in 1979.

“It’s a long time ago. Music has been a fantastic passport to us all,” he said.

The award, which is typically split between pop artists and classical musicians, was founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, manager of Swedish pop group ABBA, through a donation to The Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Each prize winner collects 1 million kronor (around €100,000).

The name of the prize comes from Andersson’s record label, Polar Records.

John Lord, a former member of Deep Purple, read the academy’s citation, calling Led Zeppelin “one of the great pioneers of rock.”

Bonham, Page, Jones and Plant formed Led Zeppelin in 1968. The group disbanded in 1980 after Bonham died, but their music remains hugely popular worldwide.

Before King Carl XVI Gustaf handed over the award diplomas, Swedish band Soundtrack of Our Lives performed Zeppelin hits such as Kashmir and Whole Lotta Love.

To honour Gergiev, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra played classic music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka and Sergeij Prokofiev.

The Russian is artistic and general director of St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre, and will be principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra starting in January 2007.

Gergiev said he was “honoured to be on the same stage as my friends Led Zeppelin” and thanked his mother “who made it possible for me to become a musician.”




John Paul Jones and Robert Plant look on
as KingCarl XVI Gustaf greets Jimmy Page



A profile of the honorees sitting in the audience


More images can be found on this page of the Polar Music Prize Site


Note to everyone and anyone who may have noticed an might actually care (lol!):

I dunno what is wrong with me but I just can't get it together right now and so, I guess this is my official admission that I have not abandoned my blog but the posting may be very intermittent for the time being. I don't know how long this is going to last.

Not long hopefully, but think I've got an extreme case of blogger~burnout and I can't seem to get out from under it right now. I'm starting to read blogs more consistently now but mainly I check C&L, OneGoodMove, dKos, FDL, Greenwald and Hullabullo the most. And sometimes, after I've done that I find that I can't summon the energy to read anything else, and when there is something I think I might want to write about, it is because of something I've already read at one of those fine establishments and they've already said everything better than I ever could.

I could do what I've done so often in the past (and will no doubt begin doing again once I get over this burnout period) and just link them with little or no commentary but for some reason, right now I feel very self-conscious doing that. I don't know why.

I know that there are those who would criticize the kind of blog that is long on links and short on commentary but I've done that in the past with no regrets because my biggest goal with my own blog was to be one more opportunity for someone to find something that I believe is very much worth reading about, on the off chance that they didn't already find it somewhere else. I've never claimed to be any great writer or great thinker. Just an information junkie in love with the www and a desire to share what I'm passionate, excited or outraged about. But for whatever reason, the past few months I find I cannot seem to summon up the energy needed to even do that. I keep holding out hope that this will change....

I'm actually having that problem in all aspects of my life right now, both online and off.

Somewhere out there is a sweet friend (at least I'm praying he still is) waiting for a long overdue astrology report with impressions, and I keep starting on it every day and then 200 interruptions later, I set it down for another day. (Dear Friend, if you are reading this, please know I'm gonna get to it as soon as I can, I swear)

It is happening alot at Online groups where I'm supposed to be participating (horrors!) as well. It is happening at home as I listlessly try to pick through responsibilities that have been neglected or gotten half done as I lose my train of thought and pick up something else to do. I've let so many things get to the point of being overwhelming that I just often don't know where to begin. Suffice to say, I don't feel like I've got the right to expend too much energy online while that is going on. So, long story still longer than I meant it to be: things are a mess and I'm trying to work on it, get it under control and get back to things that always gave me the most joy. And... try to recover some of the joy that seems to have gone missing when I do get the chance to indulge in those said things.

Awww, I really think it is the insomnia that is causing the problem. But insomnia is also how I finally managed to post this. I'll stop ramblin now....

Posted by etherealfire :: 1:24 AM :: 2 Comments:

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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

pat robertson shares God's latest: a possible tsunami for the pacific northwest

Rev Pat Robertson: God Says "The Coasts of America Will Be Lashed by Storms"

Although there were lots and lots of quoteworthy gems coming from the comment section, this commenter pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter the very best:

God also said that fat-ass fake religious types that pretend to speak for God will roast like chestnuts in Hell.

By: shemplugosi on May 17, 2006 at 11:58pm


link via HuffPo

Posted by etherealfire :: 10:35 PM :: 3 Comments:

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Thursday, May 04, 2006

hell is for children and animals????

In reading through the Talk to Action piece, "Every Zygote Is Sacred", or "Can I have my BC already?", I came across this disgusting bit of information, via a commenter that provides the links as well. I'm taking the liberty of posting the entire comment here; yes, I've heard all of this disgusting stuff before and no doubt so have you, but I think it bears repeating OVER and OVER and the source links are provided in the well documented comment:

Good point, actually--not only do the Catholic hospital systems have a history of this, you are seeing dominionist denominations starting to buy up hospitals, too. (One of the things I'm carefully watching, in fact, is whether the Baptist Hospitals chain starts putting in religious-based restrictions. (We have five major hospital providers in Louisville aka the transplant research capital of the US :3. Three of these are religiously affiliated--Caritas (Catholic, specificially Sisters of Nazareth), Baptist Hospitals (Baptist, I suspect Southern Baptist but unsure) and Jewish Hospital (obviously affiliated with the Jewish congregations here, who largely seem to be Conservative Judaism).) One of the things I do make sure with doctors is that they have admitting privs to secular hospitals if need be.)

Regarding the dominionist war on family planning in general, I think it's actually a twofold issue:

a) There is very much a control aspect (in dominionist families, there is a very strict hierarchial setup in that the husband is supposed to be head of household, the wife is supposed to be completely submissive, and the kids are supposed to be completely submissive to the parents). I've posted the following in relation to this thread on Dark Christianity which was concerning longterm effects of abusive childrearing styles in dominionist households:

Heck, to give you an example of how bad this gets, this is from an actual A Beka civics book (specifically William R. Bowen et al., American Government in Christian Perspective, 2nd ed., (Pensacola, Fla.: A Beka, 1997), page 16):

The importance of the family is underscored again and again; however, the family must conform to God's mandate, which is linked, in turn, to the proper relationship of human beings to government. " The A Beka civics text notes, "Governmental authority flows from God to human institutions and to the individuals responsible for ruling others within those institutions [according to] a definite order of command from God to human leaders to their followers. For example, the husband is the head of the wife and the parents are God's representatives to rule their children. Individuals obey God when they submit to and obey the God-appointed authorities over them."

Yes, this is completely typical of dominionist groups (nearly all other dominionist curricula teach it, as do dominionist schools and even dominionist parenting programs).

Examples from the Pearls (which also have published a series of baby-beating manuals popular in the dominionist community and which are often included with the sale of chastening rods and similar "Biblical chastening devices"; they operate a website, No Greater Joy (also the title of one of their manuals on baby-beating the dominionist way) that promotes the same advise online; the Pearls are under investigation by the state of Tennessee for child abuse based on the material in their books):

woman is told to stay with abusive husband because "God hates divorce"

assertive women are accused of having a "Jezebel spirit" (in dominionist groups into "spiritual warfare" there are even exorcisms in attempts to drive "Jezebel spirits" out of women who are seen as being too "uppity" and not "staying in their place")

woman is literally told it is her HUSBAND'S decision, not HERS, whether or not she is to practice birth control and how many children she is to have

In some of the links at stoptherod.net noted above, it's detailed how the Pearls have advocated beating infants as young as eight months old with "chastening rods" for playing with their food and advocate pinching infants as young as four months.

To give you examples of their "childrearing" techniques that I've not already mentioned:

more on tyrant babies! (Did these people watch too much "Family Guy" or something?) Yes, this is very sadly a TYPICAL attitude)

techniques practiced in dominionist households to break will of kids (who are termed "Twinkie twerps" by the Pearls)

the Pearls (who, incidentially, are under investigation by the State of Tennessee for child abuse--in part because of material from the books) actually try to defend their child abuse manuals

advocates being extremely strict from birth; also claims kids being bullied somehow deserved it

yet more fantasies of babies plotting to take over the household from "parental rule"

advocating using a "chastening rod" on a seven-month-old child who will not get to sleep (it's on page two)

advocates beating of children with "chastening rods" made from PVC plumbing pipe for thumbsucking

claims that people who have criticised the Pearls for their extreme methods of childrearing are literally demon-possessed (sadly, a common form of "dead agenting"/"character assassination" in the dominionist community and one reason why it is at times next to impossible to debate dominionists heavily into "spiritual warfare")

Lest people think the Pearls are an abberation, even Dobson uses the beating of a Dachshund to demonstrate how children should have their wills broken (the manner in which he beat the dog is guaranteed to increase aggression).

There is evidence that this has carried over into official government policy with dominionists, in particular with the Abu Ghraib scandal. Actually, there is an EXPLICIT link between dominionism and Abu Ghraib (and, probably, between the generally abusive dynamics and Abu Ghraib); as it turns out, Gen. Boykin is one of the persons behind some of the policies there.

Common Dreams
http://www.yuricareport.com
http://www.yuricareport.com Prison Torture Directory
http://blog.au.org

General Boykin is associated with the AoG and is strongly associated with the increasing dominionist infiltration of the military as well as the hijacking of the chaplaincy system by dominionists:

Daily Howler
http://www.pluralism.org
http://www.yuricareport.com ~ Dominionism
http://www.yuricareport.com ~ Iraq Pentecostal In Charge of Interrogation

So yes, dominionism has been specifically linked to abuse both at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib--in fact, one of the major players seems to have been a major ringleader of the abuse.

In all of these cases, I'm fairly convinced this is an extension of an underlying coercive dynamic in many, if not most, dominionist churches (it is my sincere belief that most dominionist churches, in particular the pente/charismatic churches affiliated with dominionist movements, are explicitly spiritually abusive and the general patterns of spiritual abuse are starting to show up even in congregations with a recent history of dominionism such as the Southern Baptist Convention).

b) One thing, too, that is a major factor in the dominionist war on family planning is that in many dominionist churches it is explicitly taught as part of the "dominion mandate" that they must "be fruitful and multiply" and that any interference with this is at best a willful act of disobedience towards God. In some circles, women are even explicitly encouraged to have as many children as possible to breed "Christian Soldiers" and women with a "bushel full of kids" are held up to high praise. (Of course, the longterm health consequences of popping out kids every 9-12 months--not to mention the financial consequences--aren't touched upon.)

by dogemperor on Mon Dec 05, 2005 at 08:10:44 AM EST


Not too terribly long ago I was taken to task by a fellow commenter at another site, because I stated that as much as I don't like believing it, it has become clear to me that the reproductive issues that get tangled up within the minds of these people leads to one and only one goal, whether those who are trying to implement it, can or will admit it or not: and that is to control women's bodies and then, as well as any offspring that results from that control.

Reading this reinforces that belief and why I have come to believe that it is so; and I cannot express fully enough my complete and utter contempt for anyone who would claim to be Right to Life and adhere to the childrearing tenets of the repugnant Pearls and the dog-beating psychopath James Dobson. And, it is after moments of reading about the utterly loathsome behaviours of these people, that I am ashamed to say that I wish I believed in Hellfire and Damnation, if only to watch these evil creatures squirm.

God/dess forgive me that; the rage-filled momentary fantasy of Dachshunds eternally tearing Dobson limb to limb and cherubic babes overpowering their monstrous caretakers and beating them unconscious passes and I feel horrid revulsion afterwards... but I find that cannot help the sheer momentary hatred I feel for these people, who claim to love life so much but have absolutely no compassion or regard for the most innocent among us once they are here.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE???? Some things I'm pretty darn sure of: these people don't know the meaning behind the words culture of life. They certainly can't even begin to comprehend the essence of providing and graciously accepting in return a mutual and benign sort of quality of life for all of God's creatures, including and especially those most vulnerable. And since they show no mercy over that which they believe that they have been instructed to be custodians of, I'm thinking they'd better pray like HELL that God is the merciful Father that they don't even pretend to emulate. Because what they deserve is something far less charitable.

Oh, and I'm sorry but I'm still seething a little bit and I just can't help asking: Have you ever wondered how those with the most might and the greatest ability to wreak havoc upon us all, somehow ended up being in the ultimate image of God??? And those who seem to be accused of embuing satanic qualities are those who just happen to be physically weaker and more vulnerable? Isn't it funny how it worked out that way? Umm, yeah... rant over. For today, anyway...

Posted by etherealfire :: 11:54 AM :: 8 Comments:

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Monday, May 01, 2006

Happy Beltane ~ May Day ~ Beautiful Spring

Here's my moment of beauty for today:



Have a glorious May dear readers!!!

Love and Light to all (((hugs)))

Sig was created by blending lovely images from Zela aka Marja Flick-Buijs and xymonau aka Dez Pain via their respective galleries at stock.xchng

Posted by etherealfire :: 8:56 PM :: 2 Comments:

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More on Colbert's brilliant and brave performance

via Chris Durang's HuffPo Blog: Ignoring Colbert, Part Two

Oh and then there was this from Jesse Kornbluth as well.

And if you would like to thank Stephen Colbert for his intestinal fortitude and brilliance you can do it right here!

I followed the links via my blog addiction, the very awesome C&L.

Posted by etherealfire :: 8:27 PM :: 0 Comments:

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